"Keep Your Promise!" - Protest to Promise - Part 1 - Faith

On March 15, 2011 Maryland state employees poured into Annapolis and marched on the State House demanding that Governor Martin O'Malley State legislators  keep their  promises of a living wage, reasonable medical and care coverage and their pensions.  The State workers had kept their promise, but they were facing the possibility on not receiving what they were promised in exchange for years of dedicated high quality hard work.

The state employees such as teachers, para professionals, secretaries, and building service workers marched chanting "Keep Your Promise!" They raised their voices as they raised the signs in their hands demanding what they had worked for, some for decades.  The entire situation became more tense when State police blocked State employees from the entrance of the State House.  Weren't the men and women in blue also State employees, who were they supposed to be protecting, the governor and the legislators or the employees?

Finally, O'Malley game out of his inner office, and outside where his employees were protesting his proposals to cut funding to them because of the shortfall in the budget and the Maryland State law that the budget must be balanced.  The crowded quieted to hear him speak, but booed him if he said something he did not like.  Finally, he convinced the crowd that changes would be made, and they were.  Over half of the money was put back in the budget for these employees.

In the book of Genesis chapter 12 in the Bible we learn of one of God's great promises.  He tells a man named Abram who is seventy five years old to leave his country and everyone he knows and go to a land He would show him, and promised Abram he would make him a father of a nation.

Think about this for a moment.  God told Abram to leave and go to a place He would show him.  All we know about Abram at this point is his family tree and how it connects to Noah, but nothing else.  It is Abram's response to God's request that we start to learn about the man he is.  He did as God asked and to do and  took incredible faith.

To have faith means to have complete confidence in someone or something.  In this case it is a strong belief in God, doctrines of religions, based on a spiritual apprehension rather than proof. Abram did what God asked for two reasons, the first reason was faith.

To leave everyone and everything you know to go somewhere God would show him had to be difficult on Abram.  He had to pack up his belongings, his wife, his servants, and his livestock and go somewhere unprotected by his family.  Can you imagine the questions he got? "Abram why are you leaving us?  How long will be gone?  Where are you going?  What will you be doing?  How far away do you think you will go?  When will you be back?"  These are all perfectly natural questions to ask, but Abram could not answer any of them, not even one, because God did not tell him any of that.  All God told him to do was to leave.

Abram did as God asked, which meant he had to know God.  He had to trust and love God more than he loved his family and his home because if he didn't he would never of left.  He had spent some one-one- one time with God because he knew God's voice when he spoke, and he trusted God enough and faith in him enough to do what God asked him to do without hesitation, argument, or fight.

Do you have that kind of faith in God?  If you don't, you know you can change that.  God always wants to be in relationship with you.  He longs for you to know Him better.  He wants you to Hear from Him and he is always ready to hear from you.  So make a date with God each and every day.  Give yourself the time to get to know Him better.  Spend time reading the Bible and mediate on what you read.  Simply talk to God, it's called praying, which is another word for conversation.  If you don't know how to start, just spend 15 minutes a day getting to a quiet space and relaxing and letting go of everything.  Clear your mind and open your heart and God will be right there waiting to bless you.

Flowers on Patterson Avenue

Fall has arrived and honestly, it is my favorite season. It is a season of change which is beautiful to witness. Most people do not like change, but it happens whether we welcome it or not.

Yesterday afternoon I had meeting and class after work. I had awakened yesterday morning around 3:00 am and could not go back to sleep. I was very tired by the end of the work day, and forced myself to stay awake as I drove from Silver Spring, MD all the way to Exit 20 on 695 in Baltimore, MD. It was about a 40 mile drive that took slightly over an hour. My first meeting went well. I was driving down Patterson Avenue to get to my church where the class I am taking is held. There is a house on that street that has the most beautiful gardens. I double checked my car clock, and I had enough time to stop by this house and get a closer look before the start of my class.

I want to point out something very important here. I have admired this house and the gardens surrounding it for about three years. I simply pass it as I go to church. I did not know the person who lives in the house. The great thing is, since I am part of the Evangelism Ministry, and often create an encounter with Jesus Christ with complete stranger's at their door, at a bus stop, on the streets of Baltimore, that I wasn't afraid to be alone and ring the bell of a complete stranger.

The door cracked open after my second ring, and a person was peering through the crack. I said, "Hello, my name is Laura and I am from New Psalmist Baptist Church. I just stopped by because I admire your lovely gardens." The door completely opened, and a very nice woman about my mom's age stepped out onto the porch. The first thing she said to me was, "Thank goodness you are not Jehovah Witness." I laughed to myself, we get that a lot when we go witnessing.

The woman and I stood on her porch and talked for about 20 minutes or so. She told me that she has to hire two men to help her with all her gardens. She also told me how when she is out tending her gardens people will stop their cars in the middle of Patterson Avenue to talk with her. She has to remind them, that stopping on a heavily traveled street is dangerous. She also told me, "People tell me my house is the most beautiful house on this street. I tell them I don't want my house to be the most beautiful one, but one of many beautiful houses." We then talked about different houses on her block and I shared that one of my neighbors has a hard time cutting their lawn and at times due to the tall grass people think the house is abandoned. We have to call the Health Department on them to get them to cut their lawn.

The thing I realized as we stood in the afternoon sun chatting was that she was viewed by many of her neighbors and others as "different" or "special" because of the hard work, time, and money she and her husband put into their gardens and home, but she did not think that about herself at all. She thinks  all her neighbors have to do is put a bit more effort, time and money into their homes and yards and they would look just as lovely as hers does.  She does not think they have to do what she is doing, but do the best they can do with what they have.  She has lived in her neighborhood a long time, and knows that people have different priorities, but she also knows that a little more time and effort goes a long way.

We finally introduced ourselves formerly. Her name is Maryland. She gave me an open invitation to walk through her back gardens the next time I was running early to church. We said our goodbyes and I feel as if I have met a new friend that shares my interests and values.

As I drove on to church I thought about what Maryland said about wishing she was just one of many beautiful houses on her street. She spoke about the time, resources, and energy to tend gardens as lovely has hers, and how tiring it is, especially as she is a senior citizen, but even as fall approaches her gardens bring so much pleasure and joy. She said people tell her that a house and gardens like hers do not belong where she lives in Baltimore. She believes all people are capable of great beauty if they just put in the effort to create it.

Being with Maryland reminded me how much God wants for each of His children. He wants each of us to know Him and be in a personal relationship with him, so He can show us what we need to do to reach those in the world who are loss and fulfill our purpose in life with much success. We have an open invitation to spend time with Him daily. He loves us so much. He longs for use to spend time with Him one-to-one.

Seasons change, but not God. People may let us down, but not God. We may get tired of doing the right thing when it seems as if no one else is, but not God. No matter the season we are facing in our lives, no matter how many changes we may be going through, God is the same. He always loves us, no matter what.

Bible Verse:

Isaiah 58:11

The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail

Control - What Have You Done for me Lately?

In 1986, Janet Jackson, the youngest of the Jackson clan released her her third album.  It was titled "Control."  The song itself and five other singles from that album were number one on the Billboard chat for weeks.  To date this album has sold over 14 million copies and is still selling and has made Miss Jackson an international pop-star.

The word control means to have the power to influence or direct people's behavior or the course of events.  In the eyes of the world Miss Jackson has control.  Miss Jackson, has control as far as the world standards are concerned.  She has wealth, influence, popularity, and recoginition.  It seems as if she has it all.  Does she?  Would you change places with her if you had to live the life she has lived as she has lived it? 

Those of use who love the Lord, and have received Jesus as our Savior, have given Him control over our lives.  This means that our behavior and actions are influenced by Him.  We have been studying the gospel of Mark.  It starts with Jesus' public ministry after he is baptized by his cousin John.  We learn more about John and his parents in the first book of the gospel of Luke.

John's parents were Zachariah and Elizabeth.  They were an elderly couple who had served the Lord faithfully their entire lives, but had no children.  One day while serving in the temple the angel Gabriel appeared to Zachariah and told him he and his wife were going to have a child.  Of course this was shocking and Zachariah could not believe what he was hearing.  He was struck mute because of his disbelief.

Elizabeth did indeed become pregnant, and when Mary, her cousin, who had become pregnant with Jesus through the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth and the baby in her womb immediately became filled with, and contolled by the Holy Spirit.  The same thing happened to Zachariah on the day John was born.

There are those within the church that speak of, or ignore being filled with the Holy Spirit, but I have never heard anyone teach on being controlled by the Holy Spirit.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we receive the Holy Spirit.  We possess Him in our hearts, but how many of us truly allow the Holy Spirit to control us?  This may explain why so many in the body of Christ have so many issues and do not know how to deal with them, because they are not controlled by the Holy Spirit.  Oh, trouble is part of this life, but we make it worse for ourselves when we think we are in control and try to handle things on our own.

 God gives us the choice to rely on Him.  The word choice means an act of selecting or making a decision when faced with two or more possibilities.  How many times have we decided to do things out of our own limited knowledge, strengh and power instead of being controlled by the Holy Spirit?  Too many.

Many bought Janet Jackson's album. They paid money for a lie. There are very few things in this life we have control over.  Just last week the Jackson family lost a wrongful death lawsuit concerning her brother, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson.

  When we love Jesus Christ we have choosen to give control of our lives to him.  Many of us sing the song "I Surrender All" and have no idea what surrender means or what we are singing.  Surrender means to cease resistance to an enemy or opponent and submit to their authority.  God is not our enemy, but our father and friend.  It's much easier said than done.  God knew us before he formed the world. Jesus was sent to die in our place.  We can chose to be controlled by the Holy Spirit, even if it is something we have to do several times a day.  It's the only way we can fufill our Godly purpose in this world.


"I Surrender All" link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ejmMz0WR7s

Bible Verse

Luke 1:41

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁴¹ And it occurred that when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit.

 

Luke 1:67-69

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁶⁷ Now Zachariah his father was filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,

⁶⁸ and redemption to His people!

⁶⁹ And He has raised up a Horn of salvation [a mighty and valiant Helper, the Author of salvation] for us in the house of David His servant—

What you do for Christ will last

The Gospel of Mark starts with John the Baptist.  John is telling the people the good news of the coming Messiah.  He didn't stop with the message of good news, but he told the people they needed to repent and be forgiven of their sins.  He even went so far as to have the people demonstrate their repentance by baptising them.

What was it about John the Baptist that people responded to?  He was strange at best.  He lived out in the wilderness alone, he didn't wear the latest fashions, or have any type of financial or political stature at all, but he had a tremendous impact on those who saw and heard him.

I believe John the Baptist was successful for two reasons.  The first is that he understood what God's purpose was for his life and he was fulfilling it, and second he knew the Word of God and he wasn't afraid to use it.

In verses 2-3 it states:
as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

“I will send my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way”
³ “a voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”

 

How many times do we struggle with difficult issues?  We worry, we lose sleep, we stress ourselves out.  Why?  Because we don't know what to do, or what will happen.  Those of us who know God, know that God knows everything. All we have to do is turn our burdens over to him.  We don't because often we cannot let go, we fool ourselves into thinking we are in control.  Often we are operating and behaving outside the will of God for our lives.  Finally, we don't know the Word, or refer to it like we should.  We are often hindered because we do not take the time to study and understand all the power, grace, and mercy we have available to us. 

 

God's Word is living and it is powerful and it can change us, any situation, and anything else.  If we do not know that, if we are not in right fellowship with our Lord, then we miss out on all God has to offer us.

 

The Bible does not provide much personal information about John the Baptist.  We do not know if he had any other aspirations, dreams, or desires.  What we do know is that he highly valued the coming Messiah and wanted the people to be ready to receive him.  There is no account of if he totally comprehended that over 2000 years after his death and that of Jesus Christ, people would be reading about him and still repenting, and being baptised.

 

We may never receive the proper recognition or reward for what we do by humankind.  We may even be treated badly for speaking God's truth and living a righteous life, but one thing we do know is that what we do for Christ will last.

Expecting "Good News"

The gospel of Mark opens very unceremoniously. Being a man of few words, he lets those who are reading know, that he is writing about the "good news" of Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God.   Jesus is good news.  Think about what it feels like when you receive "good news."  Good is something that is desired and approved of.  Good is morally right, and righteous.  Good news is something we all want to hear and experience.

The reason Mark wrote this Gospel was to share the "good news" of the Messiah.  The Messiah was the anticipated one of the Jewish people.  They wanted a Savior to deliver them from their captivity and oppression of  theRomans.  They also wanted a leader that could secure their liberty and restore what was taken from them.

The only problem was he wasn't what the Jews excpted.  They wanted boldness, and Jesus was humble.  They want force and Jesus was gentle.  They wanted wanted a spokeman that the Roman Empire would fear and respect, and he taught in parables.  How disappointed they must of been.  Their messiah had come, but they did not recognize him, because he did not look like or act like what they were expecting.

Jesus did not come to save them from the Romans, but from their own sins.  Once they accepted Him, and learned His ways, they would of been able to take care of the Romans themselves.  Jesus not only saves, but he restores, he teaches and he enables to do things that we could never imagine.

How many things do we miss our on because it doesn't fit with our agenda, idea, dreams, hopes and desires?  How do we handle the disaapointment in our lives?  Are we simply being selfish or can we step back from what we want, and have a serving heart like Jesus and share the "good news" of the Word of God?

 

The Gospel of Mark - Who was Mark?

Mark's account of Jesus' life fits right in with our mobile social media society. We text instead of call,  we "Like" our "Friends" "Timeline"  on Facebook, we post pictures on Instgram, we Tweet in 140 characters or less,  but we very seldom take the time to talk with each other face-to-face.   The Gospel of Mark was written by a man that seemed to be in a hurry. He did not include a lot of details or elaborate.  He also did not exsaggerate anything.  He was very basic and to the point.  His gospel, for many years, was considered the least informative of the four, until it was discovered it may have been the oldest, and the others were referenced using it.

So who was Mark?  He is also referred to as John Mark. There are only ten verses in the Bible that refer to him.  He was a young man during Christ's ministry.  He was the son of Mary, who provided the early Christians with a meeting place, and the cousin of Barnabas.  He and Barnabas traveled with Paul during his first missionary journey, but left early for Jeruselum. He was the source of conflict between Paul and Barnabas when Paul refused to take him on a second missionary trip because he left the first one early, so he and his cousin went on a mission trip on their own and Paul went with Sila and later he reconciled with Paul and became a coworker in spreading the gospel. He also becomes like a son to Peter, one of Jesus' disciples.

Mark knew all the right people and made all the right connections, even after he disconnected for a while.  He was able to do a hard reset and get back "online" and carry out God's  purpose in his life.

I have been greatly inspired by the gospel of Mark and invite you to join me in a indepth study of this book in the Bible.  I believe we will be blessed.


 

No Child Left Behind

The BET Honors is a awards television program produced by Black Entertainment Television.  Each year since the awards program started individuals, usually from the African American and African communities are honored for their work in different areas.  This year, as most, the honorees are celebrates, athletes, or other individuals who are famous.  This year , 2013, Halle Berry, JD Jakes,  Chaka Khan. and Lisa Leslie were among those honored for their outstanding work and contributions in the areas of their giving.

WNBA star Lisa Leslie said something in her remarks when she accepted her award that I have heard others say.  It was, "We all can't be winners, someone has to lose." She is an honored winner, so it was easy for her to say that, but everyone experiences lose in their lives.

What is a winner?  How do we define it?  Is it being the strongest?  If so, what does it mean to be strong?  Is it the richest?  What is rich?  Is it money? Prestige? Influence? Is it power?  What is power?  Is it beauty?  What is beauty? Is it being number one?  What does that mean?  In the eyes of human beings, we have define winners and losers.  We do not have the capacity to comprehend anything but one being the best, so that is what we have.  We have millions of contest and we compete to be number one.  We spend time and money just on doing that, only to be beat out the next year, or the next by someone stronger, younger, smarter, or more beautiful.  We talk about being number one, but it is not easy staying number one.  Only number one is remembered.

God is so much bigger than we are.  We can all be number one in Him.  We do not have to compete with each other to gain is attention, his approval, his forgiveness, or his blessings, or his love.  He has enough to give each one of us all that we need all of the time.  No line, no waiting.

In the education legislation "No Child Left Behind" supported by both houses on Congress, the goal was to ensure that no child in an American public school got left behind in their academic pursuit, and no child would slip through the cracks, and get left behind, and not receive an excellent public education that would prepare them for a successful adult life.  The intention of this legislation was admirable, it has been the implementation of it that has brought public education to its knees.  After years of administration, training, and millions of dollars American students have improved, but there are still thousands of students that are left behind, and thousands of teachers who feel less affective and appreciated than ever before.  The problem?  Hmm.  It is complicated at best, but to put it in a nut shell, success is not just shoving unrelated facts, down children's throats in a very short time period and then testing them on it, to see how much of it they can recall.  There's no room for analysis, or original thought, just recalling facts, something the U.S. Department of Education and Congress decided to measure, because it's easy, well, for those who grade the tests and make money from doing so.  It is horrible for everyone else.

To succeed at anything there are some key things that have to be in place.  They are; knowledge, instruction, submission, time, hard work, resources, acceptance and relationship.  These are not the only components, but the most important.

In the gospel of Matthew the first book of the New Testament in the Bible, in chapter 13 Jesus is teaching the multitudes that are following him.  He is teaching through the use of parables.  Each place he goes people are blessed by his teachings, and due to their faith many are healed of many things.  He and his disciples come to Nazareth, the place where he grew up, and starts teaching.  The people there have known him since he was a child.  He speaks with wisdom and authority, and they cannot believe this is the boy they knew and they reject him and do not receive all the blessings he has for them.

The strange thing is, the people of Nazareth truly did not know Jesus, because if they had, they would have shared with the world what a humble and obedient child he was.  How helpful he was, how kind, and how he never caused anyone any trouble.  Instead it seems they totally ignored Jesus in his youth and did not recognize him for who he was and how he handled himself.  They were blind when it came to Jesus.  When he returned there during his ministry, their eyes were finally opened, but not their hearts, and instead of rejoicing in who he was, they resented him, and because of their resentment, they were left behind and did not receive what was meant for them.

Education has not changed since Jesus' ministry, many times due to the lack of the key components many students are left behind.  If children cannot submit their wills to the instruction of the teacher, and accept what they are teaching, and refuse to be in good relationship with teachers, then they will not learn and be left behind.  Of course, teachers have to do their part, and by far the vast majority are, but with so many students, with so many problems, with so many requirements, and so little time and resources, it is very hard for teachers to establish a meaningful relationship with all students, which is so critical for so many students.  Unlike God, teachers have limits, and cannot fulfill the needs of all of the students that they have, which in many cases is well beyond academics.

The problem with "No Child Left Behind" and the new "Race to the Top" is God has been left behind.  Without God we will always leave children behind, we will always have children that slip through the cracks.  The US has systematically taken God out of public schools.  God in schools is not forcing everyone to believe the same thing, the same way.  It does not mean we all have to pray, or kneel in a certain direction at a certain time.  It is simply acknowledging that God is a part of the process, and that teachers, students, and staff,  have the appropriate avenues to exercise their faith in an appropriate way in the school setting.

Each do we live we have an opportunity to submit ourselves to our loving Savior and receive all he has for us, and when we do, we are so blessed and have positioned ourselves to be a blessing to others.  We cannot do this within our own strength, but through his.

Bible Verse

Matthew 13:53-58

New International Version (NIV)

A Prophet Without Honor

⁵³ When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. ⁵⁴ Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed.“Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. ⁵⁵ “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? ⁵⁶ Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” ⁵⁷ And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”
⁵⁸ And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

Jesus Remains the Same

How are we as Christians supposed to live and handle ourselves in this world today?  It can be very difficult.  With the elections of 2012 over, President Obama has won his second term in office, but also gay marriage has become legal in more states, and so has gambling, and even the legalization of marinara.  Abortion continues to be an issue of great division, and extreme right members of the Republican party who call themselves the Tea Party, declare they stand for who God, but seem hostile, intolerant and racist.

I have heard Christians say many things, one is that we have to accept that changes going on in our society, that things change as society changes.  My response to that is that God does not change and neither does the Word of the God.  We may by living under grace, but the law still stands. 

Sin is sin.  Sin does three things.  First, it separates us from God, secondly, it impacts other people in a destructive ways, and third it leads to death.  Nothing that is good comes from sin.  Also, sin is sin, whether it is lying or murder it is all the same in God's eyes.  We tend to judge things differently, and that is understandable, but God is Holy, that any sin at all is totally filyhy to him.  We can never measure up to God.  If we accept Jesus we do not have to.  He has paid our sin debt for us.  We were born into sin because of the sin of Adam, the first man, but we have eternal life because of Jesus Christ.

The question remains.  How do we, as Christians conduct ourselves in our ever increasingly sinful culture and society?  There are a number of ways to answer this question, but in Hebrews chapter 13 Paul provides information and insight on this very thing.

In this last chapter of this letter that Paul writes to the Hebrews he provides instructions and exhortations about daily life and living.  He starts off the chapter with the words "keep on loving" I think he did that because it is hard to love each other sometimes based on our behavior.  He also reminds those who read his letter that no matter what happens God will never leave us or forsake us.  He also states that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  No matter what we do, or what society dictates, our loving Savior is consistent.  We can be secure in who He is daily.

Hebrews 13:1-10

New International Version (NIV)

Concluding Exhortations

13 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. ² Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. ³ Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

⁴ Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. ⁵ Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,

“Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you.”

⁶ So we say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?”

⁷ Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

⁹ Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so. ¹⁰ We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.

God, Be My Valentine

Valentine's Day is all about love, but too many times it has nothing to do with love at all.  Today in Maryland early morning commuters had to deal with icy road conditions which resulted in multiple accidents and road closures.  The day of love started off as a day of head aches, fender benders, and late arrivals. 

What does it mean to truly love someone else?  We have all kinds of images on television, in movies, in romantic novels, and advertisements.  It's all so exciting, and lovely, and sweet, and wonderful. Love is all of those things, and much more. 

What so many people often forget is that love is also very difficult at times.  To forgive someone is to love them, and forgiving someone is not easy.  Love is also doing what needs to be done even when we do not feel like it, or put the concerns or needs of someone else before our own.  Love is much more than butterflies in our stomachs, and romantic dinners and roses, it's about dealing with the grind of daily life with grace and mercy for others. 

In his first letter to the church in Corinth Paul wrote about what true love really is.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7, 13

New International Version (NIV)

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

The thing that we must remember today, and each day of the year, is that no matter who we are, where we are, or what we have done, God loves us.  His love is so great there is no place on the Earth it cannot reach.  There is nothing so terrible that anyone could do that if we turn to God, that he will receive us and restore us.  He loves us beyond measure and he loved us first. 

Paul had a grasp of how much God loves us and below we see his prayer for the believers in his letter to the Ephesians.

Ephesians 3:14-19

New International Version (NIV)

A Prayer for the Ephesians

¹⁴ For this reason I kneel before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family^[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. ¹⁶ I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

I love the prayer above, put it is incomplete without verses 20 and 21.  In these two verses Paul sums it up nicely.  He lets all those who read this letter know that not only does God love us without measure, but he will do for us more than we could ever imagine.  This means that God knows our hearts and desires, and wants to bless us.  Too many times because we do not receive the love God has for us we miss so many of his blessings.

 

Ephesians 3:20-21

New International Version (NIV)

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

One last verse about God's love.  I learned this verse a very long time ago.  It means just as much to me today, as it did when I learned it.

John 3:16

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Happy Valentine's Day!

 

The Voice

The Voice is a television show that is aired on NBC.  It is one of a number of shows that try to find that next big singing star.  It competes with the original show "American Idol" and then there is "The XFactor" all giving deserving talented people a chance at stardom.  Those of us who have been around a while will remember "Star Search" which I admit I watched and loved, but it was not limited to people who sang. 

Personally, I am not a fan of any of these current reality shows, but will watch a few minutes of them from time to time.  I often wonder how many sing sensations does the world need.  I usually change the channel because so many times the person who is performing cannot sing at all and is yelling.

I have to admit that I like The Voice better than all the other current reality shows. Why?  It is the format.  The person comes out and sings and the judges have their backs turned towards them.  This means that the judges make their judgement solely on the quality of the participants voice.  Their looks, the age, their race, their gender play no factor into the decision of a judge to hit a button and have their chair turn and face the performer.  Once a judge or judges turn their chair while the person is performing, the individual is invited to be on that judge's team.  If more than one judge hit their button then the judges have tell the performer why being on their team is in their best interest.  Singers who finish their song without a judge hitting their buttons are not selected to be on any one's team and that is the end to their dream of stardom.

The voice is a very special gift, and being able to hear someone else's voice in love is another.  I remembered that recently about a week ago.  In this modern age of text messages, e-mails, Facebook and Twitter, I no longer speak to many of my friends.  We meet on Facebook, or send tweets to each other.  We seldom pick up the phone and actually talk to each other, and the same is true with work.  I was assisting a teacher with a technical difficulty and had submitted an e-mail to the technology department.  A while later my office phone rang and it was a fellow worker from the technology department calling me about the e-mail I had sent.  He wanted to speak to me to make certain we had the support we needed.  He provided instructions, which I later followed through on and the problem was resolved.  I e-mailed him back letting him know that the computer system was now operating  properly.  Then as I closed my e-mail I typed, "It was nice to hear your voice."  It was at that moment that I realized even though I have communicated with this person for years, I very seldom see him or talk to him, and had not heard his voice in over a year.  It just struck me that in that brief conversation we had over the phone about a computer program, the whole experience was so much richer than an e-mail.

There are things you learn about a person when you hear their voice, something that does not transmit in an e-mail, or text message.  The human voice moves us, it touches us, it makes us happy, or makes us cry, there's just something about the "voice."  I think that's why the American TV watching public can support three singing reality shows at once, and if you include "America's Got Talent" then there are four. Thankfully they do not all air at the same time.

In the book of John, Jesus is taking part in Jewish  celebration when  some of his fellow Jews do not believe he is the Messiah as he claims and challenge him.  They want proof that he is who he says that he is.  Jesus had the power within him to do great miracles that would put them all in their place, but that was not his way. He did things very simplistically and low key as often as possible.  He says to them they do not believe him, even when he does great works because they are not his sheep and do not listen to him.  They do not listen or recognize his voice. 

To know God, and to know his voice is to submit ourselves to his will.  If we have to have things our way, then we will never hear God's voice.  If we can be moved and changed by the voice of a talented singer or speaker, how much more can God's voice bless us?  His voice is perfect every time.  He knows exactly what to say to us, how to say it to us, and when.  The problem is so many of us do not hear it.  We are never sit  still or are quiet enough to hear what God is speaking to our hearts through prayer, his Word, and those that love him.

Take the time needed to hear from God.

Bible Verses

Psalm 46:10

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁰ He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

John 10:22-30

New International Version (NIV)

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

²² Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, ²³ and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. ²⁴ The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
²⁵ Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, ²⁶ but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

Football Sunday - NFL Showdown

Today is a day that so many in the Washington DC metro area have been waiting for.  Football Sunday.  Both of our local teams are playing today, the Washington Red Skins and the Baltimore Ravens.  The Ravens game started at 1:00 pm and the Redskins game is later today. Both teams have done well this season and the fans are loving it.

People love football.  At church today people were wearing their Baltimore Ravens jerseys and people where wearing purple, the team's color.  Excitement was in the air.  We were at church, and it was full to the brim.  I think almost all of the 4,000 seats were taken.  It may be because everybody wanted to get home to see the Ravens, but no matter the reason, Bishop Thomas was ready for the masses.

He took his text from Exodus chapters 13 and 14.  Those chapters refer to when Moses lead the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt where they had been slaves.  They had prayed for freedom and it had come, the only problem was, that freedom wasn't exactly what they thought it was going to be.  The people of Egypt had suffered 10 plagues because they would not "let the people go" as God had commanded through Moses.  

Can you imagine Moses a dirty tired shepherd , who was a murderer, demanding of Pharaoh to let his people go?  Pharaoh was the wealthiest, most powerful ruler on the planet, he wasn't afraid of a man with a big stick and an invisible God.  Well, ten plagues later Pharaoh and the people of Egypt changed their minds.  The only thing is, once their slaves, their cash cows, the reason they were so rich were gone, they went after their slaves.

We are just like the children of Israel.  We are slaves to people, things or habits in our lives, and we ask for freedom.  Once we have our freedom, we have to realize that there's going to be a fight after that victory.  We can lose our victory due to doubt.  When the people of Israel saw Pharaoh's army behind them they turned on Moses and made him the bad guy.  Wrong response.  All they had to do was trust God.  If God got them out of Egypt, he had want it took to get them into the Promised Land.  They just didn't know how he was going to do it.  He did not tell them because they would not have believed him. They would not have believed him because their minds were too small at the time.  They would not have been able to handle the limitless power of God.

We may be just like the Israelites, but we can learn from their mistakes.  We can have the right reaction.  We can choose to stay calm and trust God.  He has our backs.  Even in football, the team members have each other's back.  No one player can win the game alone.  Each position has a job to do.  It is the coach that decides which player has what position and how that person is to perform in that position.  There is the defense and the offense.  

As Christians we play way too much defense Christianity, God has put us on the offense, that is the only way to score a touch down, unless the defense pulls off an interception, which is possible, but that is not how most football games are won.  We are the offense, we make plays that God has given us to win, and he protects us because he is our defense.  He's got our back, and sides, and any where else he needs to cover us.  All we have to do is trust him.

Bible Verse

Exodus 14:14

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴ The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

Back To Life, Back to Reality

In 1989, the British Soul singing group released a single titled "Back to Life (However do you want me).  This song became popular in the United Kingdom and the United States. It is a song I remember, and it was a time in my life when I had to get back to reality, as I spent my last semester at Penn State in a study abroad program in San Herman, Puerto Rico.  It was a wonderful experience that I treasure, but I was graduating from Penn State, my family was moving to , of all places Selma, AL, and I had to find a job.  The fantasy I had been living as an exchange student was over, as was my undergraduate career.  I of course, I was very happy that I had finished my degree, but the reality of it was I now had join the real world.

I feel the very same way this week.  I have returned to work after a very restful and peaceful winter break.  I remember sitting in my little room in my over sized yellow leather chair with my legs up on the ottoman looking out the window and reading and snoozing for hours.  What a luxury!  I had not done that in months and it felt so good.  I had time just to sit and read and dream, and think and relax.  I could not have had a better day if I had been on a cruise ship in the Caribbean or heading to Alaska.

I was glad to return to work.  On break I tend to sleep too much, eat too much, and spend too much money.  The reality comes in the mail as a bill, or stepping on the scale and watching it in denial inch up.  Overall, I was pretty good this year, but there is nothing like just being at home relaxing.

Returning to work means returning to a hectic schedule.  My very first day back I forgot a union meeting I had to attend after work and I had planned dinner with friends.  Oops.  What was I thinking?  I forgot to check my work calendar when I was at home on break.  I am used to overbooking myself, so I made a few adjustments, an e-mail and a phone call and I was able to handle both.  I have another meeting tomorrow (Saturday) and right now I don't want to go.  I just want to stay home, but this meeting is about the budget of the school system and since my program is always under act to be cut, it is important that I go.  Next week there is testing that I have to proctor, a return to my class at church, and free yoga classes to consider as well a play about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. premiering.

The next week I have three professional development trainings to attend, a weekend workshop I signed up for, and a staff meeting.  The following week is the Inauguration of President Obama which I am attending, but it takes planning to do so.  Hmm!  Just writing all this stuff down I am getting tired.  Between the things I have to do, and the things I want to do, I feel stretched at best, overwhelmed and stressed at my worst.  I miss winter break all ready!  It was a time when time seemed to stand still and I was able to catch my breath.

I am still reading the book of Matthew and as I read the end of chapter 11, I read three verses that  I have read before, but have given me renewed hope.

Matthew 11:28-30

New International Version (NIV)

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

So, with these words from Matthew I will take a step back and exhale and make needed adjustments so I will not run myself crazy.  I have found that when I read God's word and spend time alone with him one-on-one, the result is peace and wisdom.

If you feel stressed and overwhelmed already in 2013, take it from me, don't waste our time or energy, instead, just go to Jesus

For you 1980's music fans, the link for the video of "Back to Life" is below.  The lyrics were simple and fun. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB54dZkzZOY

At the Alter - On my knees at the end of 2012

New Year's Eve is a time of year for great celebration.  It is the end of something that was and will never be again.  It is a time to stop, take a look back, and reflect on lessons learned.  It is also a time to celebrate accomplishments, and remember those we love that are no longer with us.

For Christians New Year's Eve, is not just a day to prepare for parties, and an evening at Time's Square in New York City, or parties, but it is a time to attend church and thank the Lord for his blessings and pray for the year ahead.  In the African American community, this service is called "Watch Night Service" and 150 years ago on December 31, 1862,  they were watching and praying in their churches for freedom to come.  January 1, 1963 it did when president Abraham Lincoln signed his Emancipation Proclamation.

Today is the 150th Anniversary of President Lincoln signing the Emancipation Proclamation setting slaves free forever in the United States.  There is much controversy about this document and Lincoln's intentions, and even a celebration called Juneteenth because slaves in Texas did not learn of their freedom until June 19th, but the fact remains he wrote and signed the document into law.



The National Archives is celebrating this milestone by having the Emancipation Proclamation on display New Years Day weekend and hosting a number of programs.  It struck me as I watched the Oriels baseball team's sponsored Baltimore New Year's Eve Celebration that an African American woman, who was an honored guest of program, is the leader of this major east coast city, in part because of President Lincoln.  Could he, or any one of his time  imagine that by 2012, Baltimore would not have one, but two African American women mayors.  I truly doubt it, I don't think President Lincoln's vision was that vast or forward thinking, but that does not matter, he took one step in the right direction and it was a big one.  His step is documented, debated, and celebrated, but the end of slavery, and the Civil Rights Movement would not have been possible if  steps of many famous, and unknown men, women, and children from all over our great country and world, had not ben taken.  It takes each of us to make a difference.

I was at church last night.  We had two services and my friend and I decided to attend the 6:30 pm service.  We got there at 6:30 pm, but it took us 15 minutes to get inside the church.  There were so many people at that service that we had to park in the American Red Cross parking lot and be shuttled to our church.  Once inside, we were informed that the sanctuary, that seats 4,000, was completely full.  We had to go downstairs and sit in the Chapel and watch the service on a big screen.

I was so disappointed.  I live a long way from my church, and watching the service on a big screen was just not the same as being in the sanctuary.  There were so many children where we were, and children can seldom sit still, and since we were in the overflow room people in general were a bit distracted.  We were sitting up front so I was able to pretty much tune out all the movement, noise, and distractions and focus on the service.

I enjoyed the service, the music was surround sound, loud, clear, and beautiful.  Bishop Thomas preached a powerful sermon that he titled "Safety Net."  Once he finished his sermon, people started to walk out of the Chapel.  This is a critical time in the service when everyone should be still.  Alter call follows the sermon.  This is when the pastor opens the doors of the church and invites all those who are not saved and do no have a church home, to come to the alter and give their lives to Christ and/or join the church.  When people walk out during this time of service it greatly distracts those who are in the midst of making a decision.  It is at this time of the service, more than any other that the people in the church are praying.  It is better to leave the service during the sermon than the alter call.

Bishop welcomed those who responded to alter call and the new members ministry time took them to the room of welcome.  Then Bishop Thomas opened the alter for prayer.  Our last corporate prayer for 2012.  Since my friend and I were in the Chapel and so many people had already left, I decided to go to the alter in the Chapel.  I got down on my knees and my friend kneeled right next to me.  When I thought of all that happened in 2012, I was struck numb.  I could not pray, all I could do was kneel, and bow my head.  Bishop Thomas prayed, and even though he as on big screen upstairs, since I was at the alter, the most anointed and powerful place in the church, I allowed his prayer to be my prayer.  It was beautiful and just what I needed.  As he prayed I began to cry.  Soft at first, but then the tears came like a flood.  My friend put her arms around me and held me as Bishop Thomas prayed on.  She helped me stand when the prayer was over.  I left pain, hurt, disappointment, and despair at the alter last night.  My tears washed them all away, and the prayer gives me joy and strength to face 2013.  In Bishop Thomas' words, "We got this!"

Remember no matter what happens in 2013, God is your "Safety Net" and that "You Got This."  Happy New Year!  Be blessed in 2013.

Bible Verse  and Bishop Thomas' Scripture Reference for last night's sermon.

Deuteronomy 33:27-28

New International Version (NIV)

²⁷ The eternal God is your refuge,
    and underneath are the everlasting arms.
He will drive out your enemies before you,
    saying, ‘Destroy them!’
²⁸ So Israel will live in safety;
    Jacob will dwell^[a] secure
in a land of grain and new wine,
    where the heavens drop dew.

Fight, Dream, Hope, Love, Les Miserables

One Christmas morning after we gathered in the living room by our Christmas tree my brother announced that we were going to see the movie Les Miserables.  I was not aware of this and was not overly thrilled to go to the movies on Christmas day and the first day of the movie being released.  It meant lots of crowds and I wasn't sure if mom was up to an outing of that type yet.

I really do not enjoying going out to see movies.  I find most of them repetitive, stupid, and boring.  To me it is a waste of time and money to go and see 95% of the movies in theaters today.  I had seen the advertisements for Les Miserables, but had paid little attention to them.  I knew it had been a Broadway show, but that was about it.

The theater was packed, and we were not able to sit together, but we got there on time and got seated before the movie started.  The movie opens and the sky is a dark grey and it raining, and there are thousands of chained mean toiling in this awful weather and within moments the singing begins.  I was hooked from that moment on.  The story, the music, the acting, all excellent.  The singing, very well done.

Les Miserables was written as a novel by a man named Victor Hugo in 1832.  The plot of the novel is over a 20 year time span and records the unstable French society at the time.  Things were bad in France at that time and even worse for those who were poor.  It was a time of epidemic disease, hunger, economic instability, labor conflicts, and political unrest.  In many ways it sounds like our world today. It's interesting that society does not change as much as we wish it would.

The heart of the novel, then later stage musical, and then film, is the character Jean Valjean.   He was jailed for stealing bread to save his sister's son who was starving to death and was sent to prison for his crime and later marked as a dangerous man when paroled.  He was treated with disdain after his slave imprisonment.  He could not find work or lodging and hated the world and everyone it in.  Then one day he stumbles across someone who looks beyond his appearance, and past and helps him.  As soon as he can he steals from the one who had helped him.  He is captured and will be thrown back into prison for breaking is parole and for theft.  Then something happens that Jean Valjean has never experienced before.  Forgiveness.  The man forgives him and gives him more of his valuables.  Jean Valjean is so moved by this man's act of forgiveness, that he decides to forgive as well and seeks redemption and becomes charitable to others.

I was not surprised to learn that the movie Les Miserables set a record of having the most tickets sold on opening day.  It is a great story of the human condition and heart that is played out over and over again in our world.  The location, details, and time frame may be different, but the overall situation is the same, forgiveness, redemption, and charity, they are all a part of what makes the human experience bearable and wonderful.  We all have the capacity for all three.  We must decide to forgive, to redeem, and to be charitable.  We also have to allow ourselves be forgiven, redeemed, and accept charity.  Seldom is there anything that is one-sided.  We have to be able to receive as much as we are able to give.

The movie logo says it all, fight, dream, hope, and love.  We know from Jesus' teaching the greatest of all of these is love.

Movie Trailer Link - click on it to see movie Trailer
http://youtu.be/VEUoMC5gm6A

Bible Verses

1 Corinthians 13

New International Version (NIV)

⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails.

¹³ And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

WTOP 103.5 FM Radio

I moved to the Washington DC metro area (which includes counties in Maryland and Virginia) in 2000.    It was a huge transition from Selma, AL.  There are so many more people, and these people are from all over the United States and the world.  Traffic is extremely congested and everyone is rude and drives like a maniac.  I only knew one or two ways to my job in Chevy Chase, MD which was mainly on Highway 495 with every one who dared to get in a car was driving on at the same time I was.  It was a lesson for me in what rush hour is all about.  It was a rude awakening.

I can remember traffic coming to a complete stand still on 495.  I would panic because I did not want to be late for work.  A co-worker told me to lesson to WTOP, 103.5 FM for the traffic report so I would know where the back-ups were so I could take alternative routes.  I had to learn what those routes were, and I did. Twelve years later and I am a WTOP junkie.

I was listening to WTOP this morning as I pulled out of my garage for 9:30 am Sunday service.  Usually traffic is not an issue Sunday mornings, but as I said I am a WTOP junkie, and I never know when or where there's going to be a traffic and/or whether incident.  I figure it's better to be safe than sorry.  The news was on when I started my car and backed out of the garage and down the driveway. Announcer, "Yesterday at 6:00 pm a 16 year old girl was killed in a hit and run accident.  She was hit first by a black Toyota.  She fell into the street when she was hit and was then run over by a tan mini van.  The driver of the Toyota stopped, but the second driver did not."  I was totally stunned, and feeling terrible for the young lady, when within 3 seconds another story came on, something about stolen crabs.  A young woman was killed in the street and she got a total of 20 seconds of air time on the radio.

When I got up this morning I picked up my Bible and read Matthew chapter 9.  Matthew was a Jew tax collector during the life time of Jesus.  He worked for the Romans and his fellow Jews hated him.  He was also one of Jesus' disciples.  He is also the author of the first book of the New Testament, which is the first Gospel listed, and it is titled his name.  I have read Matthew before, but this time it has become clear to me that Matthew could of worked for WTOP.  He was an eye witness account to much of the ministry of Jesus and he, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, simply records what happened, no more no less.  He gives no context, background information, additional details, report's commentary, or anything else.  It fits his former profession as a tax collector.  He just needed name and profession and he collected the tax, he could not get caught up in the details or he would not be able to do his job.

In verses 20-22, he mentions the woman with an issue of blood.  He does so almost in passing or a side note.  He does include she had been suffering for 12 years and that she had faith, touched Jesus' garment, and was healed.  This is such a powerful story and Matthew covers it in 3 short verses.  Luke, who was not a disciple, but is the author of one of the gospel also records the woman with the issue of blood, but includes more details, but once again she is a nameless woman, or as I like to think of it, every woman.

A young woman  killed in a hit and run,   What was the purpose of reporting this story?  How can it possibly mean anything to anyone outside her immediate family and friends?  I teach high school, so the young woman could of been one of my students.  I cannot imagine what she went through at the time of her death.  It had to be horrifying and extremely painful for her.  I cannot imagine the pain her family and friends are going through right now, and even the first driver who hit her.  A young life, with so much potential gone in a matter of terrifying moments.  Who was this young woman?  What can we learn from her life and death?  How will she be remembered?  How will her life be honored?  I may never know the answers to these questions, but hopefully someone who loved her well.

The woman with the issue of blood is even more remote and harder to empathize with.  I have written about her before.  There is so much about Jewish culture that comes into play.  This woman was considered unclean because of her issue of blood, which means she could not participate in the activities and customs of her own people.  You will not find that in that Bible, that requires research to know and understand.  She was also very weak, because of the loss of blood.  I have also written about the importance of blood to the body and how without it we die.  There is no way anyone can totally understand or empathize in the three short verses that Matthew wrote.  There was so much more to her story, the most important thing is, and this is what remains to be seen with the young woman who was killed yesterday, we know why this woman's story was told.  It was told to build up our faith, the details are not the focus, faith is.

I will continue to listen to WTOP and reading Matthew, but after much consideration, prayer, and writing this blog I am beginning to understand the style of reporting both entities follow, and even though it is not my style, which is much more detailed and in-depth, I hold it high regard it because it has a purpose.



Praying that you will have a safe end of the holiday celebration.  Happy New Year!!!

Matthew 9:20-22 - Remember one of God's names is Healer

New International Version (NIV)

²⁰ Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. ²¹ She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”
²² Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.”And the woman was healed at that moment.