God sent His greeting through angels to the shepherds while they were tending their sheep at night. This greeting provides evidence that God does not discriminate when addressing humanity as He introduces His peace to the world. “Then the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people” (Luke 2:10). He made it evident that even from the lowliest person, what was being proclaimed to them would be proclaimed through them, and would reach the farthest parts of the earth. His glory would descend from the Heaven of heavens and reach the ends of the earth. The suddenness of the proclamation was without forewarning. The time would come when the angel would make his announcement and the heavenly host would burst forth into praise; (14) “Glory to God in the highest.”  The highest degree of glory for the highest good for mankind. His promise would be fulfilled as was declared, “but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord” (Num 14:21).

Good tidings are proclaimed with excitement and enthusiasm. God wanted to deliver His good news of the Gospel more than the people were eager to receive it. It was the proclamation of peace, the peace of God and peace with God. Not only had God devised the plan, but the set time had come for His plan to be revealed. The Gospel message contains good tidings of great joy. Tidings expressing the good will of God, through His eternal purpose and intent for mankind, transcend the separation caused by his rebellion for the good of others in the end. (Deut 8:16b) He would not allow the sentence of death to be the end of what His love was capable of accomplishing, but the good news of the Gospel was that His mercy extended beyond the darkened conscience caused by overt rebellion. It was the violation of the Word that caused death, and now, the Word became flesh to validate the Truth of the Word. The Man Jesus Christ, revealed as the last Adam, succeeded where the first Adam had failed and a new and a living way was being blazed for us to return as individual men to the Father. 

The earth once existed without form and meaning. After God created the order for His creation, he established man to tend the earth and rule over His creation. Sin had invited meaninglessness to return while every manner of confusion was given permission to dominate what God had created. The god of this present age has caused man to redefine and recategorize what has been clearly made evident. “The way of peace they have not known, and there is no justice in their ways; they have made themselves crooked paths; whoever takes that way shall not know peace” (Isa 59:8). Christ came to provide us a choice. We are no longer condemned to the solitary confinement of the world’s way, but now the way to life has come! He came to bring peace on the earth and good will towards men. We can now sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord has come. Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room. And Heaven and nature sing. Let Heaven and nature sing. Let Heaven, let Heaven and nature sing!

God gives us an abundance of reasons to be grateful, and expressing that gratitude requires one to take notice of His benevolence towards us. The Psalmist was overwhelmed as result of meditating on those things granted to Him and began with the exultation, “Oh.” This exclamation was made with great joy and triumph as he reflected upon the victories of the past through which the Lord had delivered him. Then, the psalmist expressed his blessings and benefits provided to him from the beginning of his life to the present time. Praise is the result of reflections of the past and provides hope for the future. The summation of his exultation is expressed through defining the character of God; “for He is good”! His goodness is never to be loosely defined or reduced to a cliché that is void of deep exultation. This would rob the words of their truest meaning. Then our description of goodness, as it is often defined, would be based on an expectation. When that expectation is not met, then there would rise within the heart a question of His goodness. But when we think of His goodness and have faith in His character, we are privileged to see beyond the moment through the eyes of faith. God was good in the past, He is good in the present, and He will still be good in the future. Faith in God is based on the knowledge gained over the years and trust in His unchanging character. We give thanks to the Lord even when we face difficulties without full explanation of their meaning and the uncertainty of their outcome. God is still good because God is love. Since God is love, He has my interest in mind. Yet, He does not see things as we see them. From His eternal perspective, we are being prepared to dwell with Him in His house, and reign with Him forever!

God is good and His goodness extends beyond our current circumstances. He gave us the assurance through the Apostle Paul that “all things work together for the good of those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). He assures us, as the called, that His Providence is leading us through all things and is in the process of perfecting us. The imperfections within us that prevent our lives from measuring up to the standard of Christ are confronted. Our response to them as we learn to trust God is the material through which godly character is built. We further identify with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who suffered and died for our sakes, not because of His sins but because of our sins. Then we do not consider God as being unfair and as withholding from us what we deserve. “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. (Lam 3:22-23) His goodness and His commitment to complete us coincides with His definition of love. The blessings and benefits outweigh whatever we may suffer in this life when we are able to see life as being more than those consumable things for which the world seeks and values. Not only does He not give us what we deserve, which is death as a result of our sins, but He allows us to experience the joy and hope that awaits us. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts”( Eccl 3:11). God is good for more reasons than we currently know, and He continues to reveal His goodness towards us as we continually give thanks for what He has already revealed of Himself. God is good, for there is much more to be revealed regarding the unfolding mystery of His grace towards us!

People are hurting, but do not know what to do with what they are currently feeling. They know what they feel, but lack the ability to interpret what that pain communicates to them. How should we react or respond to our pain?  This dilemma has become more apparent as a result of the added pressures of the pandemic. The pain was already there, but isolation and fears have given more expression to the battle already engaged within the soul. Those that are blamed become the victims of their rage, and pain is a part of life and living. The gift of life is painless, full of intrigue, and hope. But from the moment you drew your first breath, pain was inflicted and is used to forge and fashion your destiny.  As the saying goes, “hurting people hurt people.” Not only do we experience pain, but we inflict pain upon others. Not always intentionally, but it is impossible for us to be real with ourselves and with God without causing injury to the souls of others. Life does not consist of sameness of personalities and wills. The uniqueness of individuals does not automatically harmonize into a well-ordered symmetry of thoughts and actions. There will be people that you even love, not always enemies and strangers, that will rub you the wrong way. 

In addition to people, there are situations and circumstances that will occur that will cause you grief. A sickness or disease, the death of a loved one, the loss of employment, divorce and abandonment of spouse of friends; numerous things that cut deep within the heart. Their leaving a wound that cries out and demands attention. Dr. C. S. Lewis once said, “Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”  Pain always carries with it a message. It is not to be ignored, but it signals the need for either correction or adjustments. Medical doctors make it clear that we are not to ignore areas of pain within our bodies. If the pain lingers too long and is never attended to, what might have been something that could have been easily remedied has become a major crisis and could lead to death. The opposite is the hypochondriac that over medicates himself at every twitch of the nerves. He may poison his own system as result of being too self-conscious. It’s important to know what God is saying through the issues of life that we daily face. He is speaking, but are you listening? His Word is our daily food. It builds up our spiritual systems so that the antibodies of faith build within us the resistance to the disease of sinning against God.  

Heb 4:15-16 “ We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all — all but the sin.” (Message Bible)

Isa 53:3-4 “He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows,”

 What must we do with our pain? Listen to God as His Word will develop faith to believe and act on His Word. Each case is different, but none exist beyond His knowledge. He fully identifies with our human experience so that His Spirit may enter in and provide the peace that can only come from Him. He comforts us in our pain by providing for us His strength when our strength is gone. He has gone before you, remains with you, and sees you through everything that you will face in this life. He wants to show you your future pain-free life to be spent with Him forever!

Afghanistan has fallen! Sharia Law is now reimposed as the Taliban eagerly reestablishes what they consider to be God’s, or in their minds, Allah’s standard of righteousness. The conundrum of standards has been in question among every culture, and cultural clashes have erupted over standards. Competition erupts as to which standard ought to be upheld or imposed upon the people, while there are some who do not consider standards for a people group as being essential. As long as the person is true to his or her own beliefs, that is all that matters. Yet there are those who believe that standards are being violated and are willing to take whatever measures necessary to restore the standard to its rightful place.

Then there are many who still believe that God sets the foundation and pattern from which standards are to be measured. If God is the measure, then what is His standard of righteousness? The Bible says, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory (righteous standard) of God.” Islam is an Arabic word meaning “submission to the will of God.” It is derived from the Arabic word “sal;m which literally means peace. His will, if not clearly defined, would then be left to interpretation. His Word would rely upon the accuracy and the integrity of the translators if God alone was to speak free from all errors. The same would hold true for Christians, as submission to God produces peace among mankind. Yet any departure from His Word would create chaos and confusion. His Word is the Law to govern the behavior, but without its enforcement, every person will do whatever is right in his own eyes. The divisions of righteousness have become the source of civil wars with every people group seemingly being right in their own eyes.

The problem of right and wrong must be traced back to man’s original sin. When Eve partook of the forbidden fruit through deception and Adam sinned against God by willfully eating of the same, sin entered into the world. The wages of sin is death. As a result, all were born in sin and fashioned in iniquity, and all are deserving of death. To agree with God’s standard of righteousness, whether one is Christian, Muslim, or Jew, all must first agree with God that His sentence of death upon all is just. There are some who think of themselves as the righteous to carry out the judgment of God upon the infidels, yet they disagree with God’s penalty of death measured against their own sins. As it was with a righteous God to have mercy on whomever He determined to have mercy and to have compassion on whomever He will have compassion. He chose Noah before the Flood, Abraham as the Father of faith, and Moses as the Lawgiver. Later in Scripture, He chose David as King from whom the lineage of Christ would come. Beforehand, it was His prerogative to protect His Seed and measure judgement upon all who had not submitted to His will.

The Word of God became flesh and dwelled among us. The perfect translation of God’s intent was manifested to the world. Then the sins of the world were placed upon Jesus Christ as sinless sacrifice on behalf of sinful man. He absorbed the totality of the wrath of God against sin. A jihad or a war to vindicate God is the same as fighting for God while standing against Him. Only the sinless qualify to vindicate the righteous. Then our part in the work of God is believing on the Lord Jesus Christ that His sacrifice was sufficient for my sins. Then submitting to His Lordship.  The Lord will vindicate the righteous. Those who are righteous are not righteous on their own. Their righteousness is the gift from identifying with the One who is Righteous and Holy—our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

This is a day when people are looking for quick fixes and easy, pain-free ways of resolving the issues of life. Make no mistake about it…trials are sure to come. Without any trials, there would not be a way of authenticating faith, and producing the quality of faith that must be directed towards the right object. What we are experiencing is the trying of our faith, and what resides within us is now manifesting through us. We don’t know ourselves as well as we think we do, but it is in these trying times that we discover who we really are. This is by God’s design and through His unique way of drawing those who would be drawn and causing others to count the cost of true discipleship. God would not allow those who are seriously seeking to know Jesus Christ to remain under influence of deceptive practices. Today, He draws the line between what has become culturally relevant and Christo-centric living. The challenges were necessary even though, in the natural, they were difficult to understand. Nothing happens outside of God’s knowledge, and He uses all things for the good of His own people.

One would wonder why worship would be restricted when worship pleases God. We are not permitted to worship as we wish and there are those who do not wish to worship as they ought. Unfortunately, the technology and duality of modern science provides conveniences that would spare individuals of any sacrifice. If it is not an offering unto the Lord among those whose sole intent is to please Him, is it really worship? If our faith is self-serving and the messages received and embraced merely contribute to our thinking of our own greatness and indulgences, are we really being prepared as a habitation as a dwelling-place for the Lord?  God is bringing correction to those things that are out of order. This is the temporary judgement of the Lord that had to begin in His own House prior to the judgement of the world. He is making known to church attendees that Pop Culture religion is not enough. While it does appeal to a greater number of people and provoke a mass response to the granted invitation, but they are merely responding to a pseudo-Christian appeal that further hardens their hearts to the authentic Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jeremiah 6:14 states that “They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace (Jeremiah 6:14; 8”11). What is offered is a pacifier that provides a false sense of security rather than true conversion and the preparation of the heart to be instructed in the ways of the Lord.

Today there is an insatiable hunger and thirst for entertainment as opposed to a hunger and thirst for righteousness. Righteousness is the standard that God desires for us to pursue. Our ministers ought not to be comedians or so cloaked with eloquence that he/she lacks the anointing that should produce deep conviction. When we hear the message, more questions should rise within the heart pertaining to action—“what must we do?” Only then will we grow in grace as we grow in knowledge of Jesus Christ. My heart yearns for you to experience the authentic. My desire is for you to be with those of us who are being saved and prepared for a forever union with the One who died for our sins and is currently sitting on the right hand of the Father. Only a new passion produced within the heart by way of the Holy Spirit can posture all to seek for the right thing. Left to yourselves and void of spiritual understanding, too many will think that they have arrived while they are sinking deeper into a quagmire of sinful lusts in pursuit of having their own way.

True freedom surpasses the levels of duality often experienced by those in search of it, but unfortunately, do not know can be attained. The subtle trap of the enemy is to keep his victims fully engaged in an endless struggle, only to take one step forward while being pushed two steps back. Similarly, the history of Black America has been a struggle from the bondage of slavery to the recognition and commemoration of Juneteenth into a national holiday. This momentous occasion commemorated the legal end to enslavement after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed to bring an end to slavery. This bill was signed against the backdrop of one of the most devastating pandemics in our nation, as international attention was given to racial profiling and police brutality that caused the death of George Floyd, Breanna Taylor, Philando Castile, Eric Garner, and so many others. The political divide and subsequent uprising brought the prejudices and hostilities residing within the hearts of politicians, prophets, and priests to the surface. Now The Church, being the conscience of the nation, stands at the precipice of all that is occurring both around her and even among her own congregants, must convey the message of freedom to the world.  

In his remarks about the concept of freedom, Henry Ford, the creator of the Model T and the assembly line process, once wrote that, “The ideal of freedom is an innovative notion that can be found at the heart of America. This ideal is embodied in the Declaration of Independence and protected in the Constitution. But freedom — especially for African Americans — has been elusive, fought for through social movements and struggle” (Henry Ford Archives of American Innovations)

The distinction between freedoms and true freedom must be brought into clear focus. While freedom from legal and cultural constraints are vitally important, the question remains, what will we do with what we have attained? Freedoms are granted for a larger purpose. God’s word to Moses as he stood before Pharoah was with a greater purpose to, “Let My people go that they might serve Me.” This implied the development of character among the former slaves, thus positioning them to offer an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord. Without this objective becoming the driving point, it would be freedom merely for the cause of freedom. If the character of freedom is not fully realized, the freedoms attained would degenerate into deeper levels of bondage imposed upon each other who were former slaves. The mental and emotional pressures of the past would remain and erupt into counterproductive activities. The legacy of hopelessness would then be passed down from one generation to the other. However, serving God through authentic worship will give birth to a fresh vision for a people-group. Then, having the spiritual insight to see Jesus as He is will be accompanied with the insight to see through the pitfalls and snares of the enemy. If unchecked, the enemy could otherwise blind minds and cause people to either become so liberal and too accepting of vices or so restrictive and limited that there is no room for anything other than their familiarities. 

The author of the Book of John states that “And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.  36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:35-36)

 He does not just make us free, but He provides for us a freedom that lasts!

When a man becomes a father, there is a transition and transformation that occurs within him when he must shoulder the responsibility of raising a child. It is more than the act of impregnating a woman who will ultimately bring deliverance to a human being. He has entered into the realm of creation, whereas what God did in Creation is made evident through his reproductive processes. The body that comes into being possesses an eternal soul and spirit even after the physical body ceases to exist. His DNA, which identifies him in specific ways, is extended into a life that continues the line from generation to generation. The inclinations to duplicate his behavior resides in the nature of his child, and he must now live in such a way as to steer his offspring in the right direction. Without proper guidance, the things that he may despise about himself are given life and will cause him unbearable trouble. Yet, if he chooses to live out his God given calling and instruct his son or daughter in ways to do the same, his reward will be the pride that comes in knowing that his children will make the world a better place.

The origin of father is God. The Scripture states in Ephesians 3 verses 14 and 15 (Amplified paraphrase) “For this reason (seeing the greatness of this plan by which you are built together in Christ), I bow my knees before the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. For to whom every family in heaven and on earth is named (that Father from Whom all fatherhood takes its title and derives its name.” Father is singular, but fatherhood is the collective. From the Father we are given the privilege of fatherhood. If ever the collective is separated from the original design, the mission of collective is lost. This is why godly men comprise godly fathers. As we examine the waywardness among many in this generation who are without direction and purpose, much of it can be traced back to father issues. Either the father was absent in their lives or lacking the ability and skills necessary to guide his child in the right direction. This, unfortunately, has led to a generation of orphans. The attitude of an orphan is survival, and that survival mentality leads to desperation and lacks purpose. They are rootless and seek to connect with whatever of whoever will normalize their reckless behavior. It is important that a child know who his or her father is, and then for their father to know who his father is. And finally, for all fathers to know the Father. Even where earthly fathers might have been deficient in what they were able to convey to their children, God, who is the ultimate Father, provides!

Finally, to honor your father and mother is the first commandment with promise. “That your days may be lengthened on extended in the land or territory granted to you by God (Woodrow Walker, II paraphrase) To honor your father is to receive from him the godly instructions and disciplines given to you for your own well-being. As you grow in grace and knowledge, you will grow in your appreciation for parents who did the best that they could to nurture you. They probably made some mistakes along the way, but you appreciate the heart and effort engaged on your behalf. Eventually, you will be able to see the mother’s primary role in nurturing you and father’s role in pointing you in the right direction. Through honoring them, you are provided with longevity in your pursuits in life. It is the stability that comes from balance and is received from parents who know God as their Father. Thank God for fathers, and thank Him for being the Father of the One in whom our lives are established. He is the Eternal Father of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! And it is in Him we live, move, and have our being!

The attachment of mother and child is the closest natural relationship on earth. There are so many lessons illustrated through the dynamic union created by God for the procreation of the human race. In her womb, she carries and nurtures it as it develops into a matured life that is ready to pass through the birth canal. Her body goes through a metamorphosis in preparation for the day of delivery. Everything she does leading up to that moment has an effect upon the precious gift from God that she carries. It parallels the Creation narrative when the Holy Spirit incubated over the face of the waters and waited for the spoken Word of Father God. After God said the words, “Let there be,” the Holy Spirit moved in an effort to make what was spoken to become. Similarly, God spoke His Word over each of us when He said “Let there be” over you. Your being was kept and formed in the secret place of your mother’s womb.
The future of the world is contained in seed form, where everything reproduces after its own kind. Yet, it develops into its ultimate state according to how it is nurtured. It is as if God allows children to be born to perpetuate His purpose and design for your lineage. Your bloodline would be incomplete without you. No individual on earth mysteriously enters into this life, for there was a seed brought forth that contained within it the history of the lineage of the father. Fatherhood in the Hebrew language is Pater, meaning, “brought forth from.” All things are of God and unto God, our Heavenly Father. The newborn child does not know his lineage or the potential of fulfilling his or her destiny. The mother feeds her child with what God gives it from within herself, and it feeds on all that is needed for the life to grow. Yet the mystery remains as to what the child is yet to become.

The instinctive cry of a child alerts her of her child’s need. She responds to unformed words and interprets the need and the heart of her child. The child, over time, learns how to communicate responsively. The mother instructs her child in ways to construct its emotional frame. Concurrently, we see the work of the Holy Spirit in the way she leads her child. He meets our needs, nurtures and instructs us on how we ought to respond. Even when there is nothing but deep groans, they make sense to Him as He interprets the inarticulate. There must be an established standard nurtured for children to grow healthily. If rebellion is nurtured, the child will grow up thinking that any act, regardless of how wrong, is justified. The world is a vicious and violent place to live, and in a godless and fatherless environment, instructions are scarce as to the governing principles of our lives. Fathers ought to provide for mothers a standard and provisions for that the accompaniment of nurture to have it fullest effect.

When Jesus was being crucified and hanging on the cross, He took time out of His suffering to speak to His disciple, John, saying to him, “Behold Thy mother.” What He was saying to John was, “What I have received from My Father and have given to you, use it to take care of My mother and treat her has your own.” Why was this moment so special? Jesus was expressing His appreciation for the thirty-three years of nurturing and love that He received from her. Jesus was reminded of her value in His life and the encouragement He received from her throughout His many years of life and ministry. He was saying to John, “treat her as I would treat her. The acts of kindness I had received, treat her as if it was you instead of Me.” Now as we celebrate our mothers, let us remember that God gave her to us as His gift. Love her as Jesus loved His mother, for the potency of His love is expressed through her.

Hebrew 9:27-28 “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”

All die as a judgement of sin residing in the members of our body. The penalty of sin was pronounced to Adam in the Garden of Eden when the first prohibition was pronounced. Death is inevitable once to all who has ever lived. Yet there is a after death awaiting each person that dies. Many are intrigued with the mysteries concerning what they call the afterlife experience. But it ought to be the after-death experience which ought to be of major concern. Death is not the cessation of existence but the change of environments. The body returns to the earth from which it came, but the soul and the spirit lives forever. The signs of use are displayed on our bodies. Either how the Lord was glorified or signs of abuse are indicated on the expelled portion that once housed the life of its inhabitant. It just becomes a seed to be planted, to ultimately be replaced after judgement. The new and improved version will be fully equipped to give expression to our heart’s intent. God looks into the heart for that which extends on Earth is an expression of His own in Heaven. This is the judgement!

The measure of judgement is determined by God on the basis of glory given to Him. The quality of blessings is commensurate to the quality of glory given. As we move from a state of temporal living to perpetual living, we focus our attention on the permanency of blessings awaiting us. We will one day be in a fixed position. No longer suffering decay, ruin, and loss, but experiencing absolute fulfillment. This is the promise made to those who love the Lord and anticipate His return. This is the Resurrection of the just. While on the other hand, there is the merciless, loveless and miserable resurrection of the unjust who chose to live their lives as they pleased.

Nature illustrates this through seeds that are planted in the ground. They must die before they produce fruit. But nature and quality of the seed will determine the quality and nature of the fruit produced through its planting. Jesus died, but now He is able to see His seed multiplied through the quality of lives produced through His being planted. May your life be so lived that fruits of righteousness may reflect the quality of His life in you.

Heb 9:27-28 “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.”

All die as a judgement of sin residing in the members of our body. The penalty of sin was pronounced to Adam in the Garden of Eden when the first prohibition was pronounced. Death is inevitable once to all who has ever lived. Yet there is a after death awaiting each person that dies. Many are intrigued with the mysteries concerning what they call the afterlife experience. But it ought to be the after-death experience which ought to be of major concern. Death is not the cessation of existence but the change of environments. The body returns to the earth from which it came, but the soul and the spirit lives forever. The signs of use are displayed on our bodies. Either how the Lord was glorified or signs of abuse are indicated on the expelled portion that once housed the life of its inhabitant. It just becomes a seed to be planted, to ultimately be replaced after judgement. The new and improved version will be fully equipped to give expression to our heart’s intent. God looks into the heart for that which extends on Earth is an expression of His own in Heaven. This is the judgement!

The measure of judgement is determined by God on the basis of glory given to Him. The quality of blessings is commensurate to the quality of glory given. As we move from a state of temporal living to perpetual living, we focus our attention on the permanency of blessings awaiting us. We will one day be in a fixed position. No longer suffering decay, ruin, and loss, but experiencing absolute fulfillment. This is the promise made to those who love the Lord and anticipate His return. This is the Resurrection of the just. While on the other hand, there is the merciless, loveless and miserable resurrection of the unjust who chose to live their lives as they pleased.

Nature illustrates this through seeds that are planted in the ground. They must die before they produce fruit. But nature and quality of the seed will determine the quality and nature of the fruit produced through its planting. Jesus died, but now He is able to see His seed multiplied through the quality of lives produced through His being planted. May your life be so lived that fruits of righteousness may reflect the quality of His life in you.