A fresh and insightful perspective to many of today's issues, such as: current events, politics, health related topics, economics, relationships, and principles for daily living. These topics are dedicated to exposing you to relevant information that affects you, to encourage you to think critically about that information, and to encourage you to make sound and reasonable decisions that will benefit you and the ones you love. Enjoy the videos and posts, visit when you can and live well!

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Facing your Fears: How to Deal with People or Things that Annoy You or Cause You to Stumble

Every one of us has encountered hurt, discouragement and disappointment at some point in our lives. But what do you do when that proverbial “monkey-on-your-back” is sometimes a repeat occurrence? You fight it, and it comes back to haunt you. The addiction, the lust, the habit, the fear, and the insecurity that always find you; it may leave you for a moment but it always knows where you live. Jesus spoke about this same issue. He said in Luke 11:24-26 “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, I will return to my house from which I came. And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.” That unclean spirit could be the “monkey-on-your-back.” Well these types of stumbling blocks, problems or troubles are not unique to any one person, they are just apart of life. Jesus said in John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Zechariah 4:6 further teaches us that “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of hosts.” So from these two Scriptures we can conclude that adversity will come, but we can overcome it with our faith in God’s power. There are many Bible examples that substantiate this claim, so let’s investigate these short synopses, and apply the principles involved in these stories into our own lives.


Abraham


Childless Abraham was promised by God that he would be called the Father of many nations through his male child (Genesis 17:5). The fulfillment of this prophecy took a long time to fulfill (more than 20 years); Sarah, his wife, laughed at the promise (Genesis 18:12-13). When the promise was finally fulfilled, Abraham was commanded to kill his promised child (Genesis 22). What do you do when you’ve waited so long for the fulfillment of your hearts desire to come, only to have it taken from you? You feel like you take three steps forward and get knocked back five. You’re tempted to believe that everytime something good happens to you, bad is sure to follow. These are the times when you have to believe that the promises of God are in Him yes and Amen (2 Corinthians 1:20). The blessings of God make you rich, and they add no sorrow with it (Proverbs 10:22). You have to know in you heart that God is ONLY the author of good in your life, not evil (Jeremiah 29:11; John 10:10; 1 Corinthians 14:33). Hold on to God’s promises; remind Him of His promises to you (Isaiah 43:26). Do your part in the natural and let God do His part in the supernatural.


Joseph


God gave Joseph a dream that he would rule over his older brothers one day. Joseph prematurely revealed this dream to his older brothers; they despised it and threw him in a ditch. The brothers went home and told their father that Joseph was killed. Joseph didn’t die, but went to Egypt and eventually became the second in command under Pharoah. Because of his political influence and authority, Joseph was able to ration enough food to sustain the lives of his brothers and the entire nation of Israel through the famine. Joseph received a sure word of prophecy from God, and had no choice but to follow it. What do you do when you are ostracized for your beliefs, dreams or passions? Do you talk about what’s in your heart? A pregnant woman talks about her baby (that which is on the inside of her) during the pregnancy. What assignment/passion/dream from God is in you that you are pursuing? What are you doing to bring that to full fruition?


Jesus


He came to the earth to eventually be separated from the Father in order to die for the sins of the world. He asked Father God if His plan could be done another way; nevertheless, He obeyed Father God’s desire. Hebrews 12:2 says “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Although there was pain and suffering involved, for the greater good of humanity and with His faith firmly founded in the Father God’s will, Jesus sacrificed Himself for us. Jesus said that He could have called a legion of angels to deliver Him (Matthew 26:53). But He said that His meat (main purpose) was to do the will of Him who sent Him (John 4:34). What is God asking you to be willing to sacrifice for the sake of what’s best for you, your children, friends or family? Obeying may not be fun, but it brings a blessing (Isaiah 1:19-20).


David


The young king who caused a beautiful young woman (Bathsheba) to commit adultery with him, impregnated her, and had her husband killed (2 Samuel 11). As a result of this, evil never left his house. The newborn baby he had with Bathsheba died (2 Samuel 12) and his son, Solomon, became an idolatrous and backslidden king (1 Kings 11:1-4). Are you willing to allow the examples of history to be the warnings for your own actions today? (1 John 2:15-17). We’re all faced with temptations and with it, there is a way of escape in every situation (1 Corinthians 10:13). Let’s use proactive measures to not allow ourselves to be caught in uncompromising circumstances. A positive characteristic of David is that God said that David was a man after His heart (1 Kings 15:4). Even though he did do wrong, he showed genuine contrition (Psalms 51:4), and purposed in his heart to follow after God. Are you quick to acknowledge your faults to God and move forward with Him? If it’s a repeat offense, repeat the repentance. Notice that David’s heart was right before God, not all of his actions.


Paul


The Apostle Paul was originally named Saul of Tarsus. As a religious student under Rabbi Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), Saul was very skilled in the religious traditions of his day. Saul killed and persecuted Christians before his historical conversion to Christianity on the road to Damascus (Acts 9). As Paul later became an established Apostle in the Book of Acts, he came face-to-face with the same system he had once advanced and used as a weapon against the same message and movement he was promoting as an Apostle. He had to face his past. Are you willing to be teachable? Are you humble enough to admit and to correct your erroneous ways in order to move forward with God’s plan for your life? Maybe that doctrine you believe isn’t 100% correct. Maybe that relationship isn’t all that you think it is. Maybe that business deal or job isn’t as secure as you think it might be. Are you willing to reassess some of your priorities and readjust them?


Hosea


His marriage and life as a prophet manifested the relationship that God had with the continually unfaithful children of Israel. Hosea married Gomer only to discover that she was a prostitute. Though separation followed, Hosea’s love (like God’s love for His people) persisted and reconciliation eventually ensued. Sometimes we have to do things that we may not initially want to do or understand in order for God’s purposes to be accomplished in the earth. Would you be willing to suffer humiliation and be willing to forgive others, like Jesus and Hosea did, for the sake of fulfilling the purposes of God?


In all of these examples, we see how people were strengthened to overcome adversity for God’s desired purpose. Many times, we are faced with situations that can be characterized as painful, humiliating, embarrassing or degrading. But if we can gain some insight and revelation from these Bible stories, I believe that we can all overcome the struggles that we have. We may never suffer anything to the degree that these men did, but we can still use the principles in which they walked and gained victory to produce victory in our own lives. Principles are laws, like gravity. Gravity doesn’t care if you are in Africa, Canada, or Japan. If you jump off of a building, you will immediately fall to the ground and bust your head open. So use the principles, they work. The examples were given to us so that we can know the result of a certain action without experiencing the pain associated with it. Remember that! There are two ways to learn: through someone else’s example, or trial and error. We as adults and parents must stop perpetuating the same mistakes generation after generation. We need to set the next generation ahead of where we started. We must raise the bar and overcome the obstacles we face, walk in victory, and be a blessing. Review the stories in this article and see yourself and the situations that you encounter in them. How did the Bible heroes overcome adversity, weakness and struggles? That’s what you’re supposed to do, overcome. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Go and be the overcomer that God created you to be (1 John 5:4). You’re a victor, not a victim. Live well!

Thursday, May 24, 2007

How the Media Thinks for You Part 4: Watching the News with an Adverbial Perspective

In English class, we learned that an adverb was the part of speech that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. Many times they are words that end in (ly), for example softly, but they always answered the questions: (who? what? where? when? how? why?). For the sake of this article I will call these words, the “Adverbial Perspective” (AP). Have you ever played the game Clue? If you answer these questions (AP) you can solve and explain the mystery of the crime. Questions prompt the issuance of information, and since we don’t want to be reactive and only receive information blindly, we will take a few moments to see how these few questions could possibly change our perception and perspective about many things, as well as how we receive information. Ask these questions (AP) to find out the motive for the News that is being presented, or any presentation for that matter. Most times, the news is just entertaining you with shallow news filler stories. They keep your attention so that the networks can continue to justify charging advertisers exorbitant sums of money, because they have an audience watching their programs. Everything has a motive; don’t be afraid to question things. Question everything: the existence of God, authority, current events, and everything you see. Questioning is a form of learning. People who are offended in genuine questioning have an ulterior motive, so you must make everything transparent through your inquisitive nature. The adverbial perspective (AP) will help us do that.



We are talking about following the News media. But you will be able to take this information and these questioning strategies (AP) into your job, your church, family matters, current events, and you will be able to discern ulterior motives in every situation you face. This is practical and insightful information that can help you to better understand the world in which we live, so that you can make better decisions concerning any situation for you and your family. Remember, I am going to give you principles in the examples, so don’t miss the big picture. Follow the principle (the principle of asking the questions of the AP), and then take the principle and apply it to your world.

Who?

In the great television and book suspense stories (Whodunits), we’re always intrigued with “Who” the guilty party is. Whenever someone is involved in a situation, one of the first questions people ask is, “Who did it?” Answering the “Who” question will let you know who your friend or enemy is. “Who” are the big donors and corporations that financially support political issues, candidates and organizations that are against your beliefs? “Who” are the high priced lawyers and lobbyists that influence the politicians? “Who” are the high level executives that finance and promote negative music and television programming that is against your standards? These are your enemies. If you want to go even deeper than that (spiritually), “Who” influences them? Ask yourself the “Who” question when the news is trying to shove someone down your throat: a celebrity or an athlete who has no credibility is instantly an authority on world issues; political candidates are suddenly qualified to run cities, states and countries because they can raise a lot of money. “Who” are these people? “Who” is behind these people?

What?

This is basically an interrogative word used to find the true nature or identity of something, or the sum of its characteristics. Answer “What” and you will know “What” it is, and “What” happened. “What” is a close connection with “Why,” and it will help to make sense of the thoughts of those involved. “What” are they doing? “What” is the purpose of the media’s silence of the Bush Administration pushing the Security and Prosperity Partnership (S.P.P.), the North America version of the European Union (EU)? “What” is the purpose of it? “What” is the purpose of making a European Union, or a Pan-African Union, or an Asian Union? Ask “What” to find the true nature or identity of a person, place, or thing. Another example you may see in the news is a decrease in crime statistics. Lower crime is better, but a lot of times, the way it is reported is very misleading. Cumulative crime rates of certain types of crimes can truthfully and statistically be lowered by the increase of another crime. Do you understand? If one type of crime (murder or thefts) stays the same or increases slightly, and another type of crime (traffic violations) increases 100 fold, then in the cumulative percentage of crime, thefts and murders seem to be much less. It’s “sleight-of-hand”; don’t fall for this. Ask the question “What.”

Where?

This word determines location. If you answer the “Where” question, it may help to confirm or to refute some of the other questions, like “why” or “how.” I remember the movie a “Few Good Men” with Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise and Demi Moore. In the movie, there were two soldiers that were accused of following an unlawful order from a superior officer. The prosecutor went after one of the accused soldiers and made him (the soldier) confess that he (the soldier) didn’t actually hear the commanding officer give the unlawful order, because he (the soldier) was late arriving. This seemingly minor error in location was part of the reason the two soldiers were found guilty. Details are so important! That soldier wasn’t even “Where” the order was given. So find out the “Where” and make the picture clearer. Also, listen to your children explain how something broke or is missing in the house. If you think they are hiding something, ask them to repeat the story again. Pinpoint the location!

When?



This word determines time. Knowing “When” something happened can help you to develop a timeline. Putting events in chronological order can help one to make sense of a matter. In the movie “Premonition,” with Sandra Bullock and Nia Long, Linda (played by Bullock) created a timeline of events of things she saw. This helped her to decipher all of the things that were going on around her, and she eventually made sense of her situation. If you answer the “When” question, it may help to bring order to the circumstances that face you.

How?



This word leads us to the answer of the manner or the reasoning of the scenario and/or sequence of events. If you answer the “How” question, you will begin to make sense of the situation. The mechanics of the way things were done will become clearer. Have you ever done something or had something happen to you or around you, and you didn’t understand it? Then when you learned about the science of it, you said, “Oh now I understand.” For example, when we were children, we were so amazed that a baby could be in a mommy’s tummy. But once we got older and learned “How” the baby actually got in there, we could better appreciate love, intimacy, conception, child development and birth.

Why?



This word answers the motive question. Sometimes knowing “Why” something happened is just as important as what happened because the “Why” may help to prevent or explain a future occurrence. If you answer the “Why” question, it may help to confirm or to refute some of the other questions, like “what” or “how.” For example, let’s look at the tragedy of 9-11. We can use other examples, but for the sake of this article we’ll deal with two issues. “Why” was the steel from the demolished World Trade Center not allowed to be scrutinized by investigators before it was all quickly shipped overseas? Isn’t a crime scene supposed to be examined thoroughly before any of the contents are allowed to be removed from the scene? People who tamper with a crime scene and the evidence usually get punished severely. Am I being consistent with standard protocol? Am I a conspiracy theorist for asking a question? I’m asking, not accusing. Don’t fall into their trap to label and demonize people who question; that’s one of their tactics to neutralize independent thought. Here’s another 9-11 question: “Why” was there no airplane fuselage, seats, luggage or airplane debris at the Pentagon when they said that an airplane crashed into it? There was none of these items on the lawn and there was none inside of the building. But surveillance cameras that filmed the incident from nearby establishments were seized and never released to the public. Interesting, huh? We were told that it happened and that the plane vaporized from the heat. Isn’t that ridiculous? It sounds like a fairy tale, and we live happily ever after. (I’m digressing again.) I’m only teaching you how to question things and make sense of things. Folks, the official 9-11 story doesn’t even make natural sense. So don’t believe it or anything else these people tell you. Question everything!


I want you to question everything and you should encourage your children, friends, co-workers, fellow parishioners and family members to do the same. Katie Couric, the financial gurus on Wall Street, Barak Obama, George Bush and Hillary Clinton aren’t going to encourage you to question and to challenge them. They go to the closed circuit meetings where they answer scripted, softball questions asked by people who are (sometimes) on their staff. But now you have some short, but powerful principles in action that you can use to better understand situations that you may have previously taken for granted. Practice these principles on your job; ask your boss “Why” the company lost revenues in a certain department? “How” is this new software going to increase productivity? Ask your pastor “Where” does the Bible teach a specific doctrine that he/she espouses? I’m not trying to encourage you to be unruly. Use tact when dealing with people, but don’t be a slave that just follows orders/rules blindly. Even Jesus answered the sincere and genuine questions. Encourage your kids to ask you “Why” you discipline them. Truth always dispels a lie; and right information always dispels ignorance. Remember that! Don’t feel uncomfortable if you don’t understand or know something. Ask questions and get informed. Live well!

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Being Filled with the Spirit

Many Bible teachings and doctrines have gone through much scrutiny and testing through the centuries. One of which is the “infilling,” “baptism,” or “being filled” with the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost. This can become a very exhaustive topic, but I’m going to keep it short and simple. I will present you with the Word on the matter, and then you can accept it, reject it, or further study the matter. A lot of false and misleading teachings exist in many of today’s Church’s; or the teaching is absent all together about this topic on which Jesus expressly admonished His disciples and us as well. Let’s see what the Word of God says about the subject, and remember Romans 3:4 says “Let God be true and every man a liar.” Regardless of what our Church leaders believe or what you and I believe, we must follow the Word only. My contention, in line with the Word of God, is that the “infilling,” “baptism,” or “being filled” with the Holy Spirit is a New Testament experience that has been very much ignored, but is still for ALL 21st century Christians.

Let us begin to dispel some myths about this experience with the truth of the Word of God.

Speaking in tongues is a gift that passed away with the Apostles in the Book of Acts. This is found nowhere in Scripture, in fact, the Bible says the exact opposite. Acts 2:39 says “For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” If you read the entire second chapter of Acts, the day of Pentecost and the fulfillment of Joel 2 from the Old Testament came to pass. The power from on high came as Jesus foretold in Luke 24:49. If you have been called by God to salvation (you’re a born again believer in Jesus Christ), then the infilling is for you. The people in the Upper Room who got filled were already saved according to John 20:22, so this spiritual experience wasn’t the new birth, it was an experience subsequent to salvation. John 20:22 Jesus told the disciples to “Receive the Holy Ghost.” This wasn’t an eventual receiving of the Holy Spirit, it was instantaneous. If I throw a ball at you and I yell, “Catch!” When do you catch the ball? You catch it when I throw it. The same thing goes with the account in John 20:22; they received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in John 20:22, and the infilling came in Acts 2. The Holy Spirit (Indwelling) baptizes a believer into the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:19, Titus 3:5, 1 Corinthians 12:13). Jesus (Infilling) baptizes believers with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11, Acts 2). In Scripture, wherever water baptism occurred, Christians were submerged in water by other Christians. There is no Scriptural account of babies being baptized or young children being baptized to join a Church or to “get right with God.” Water baptism is an outward display or symbol, of an inward transformation. In other words, you don’t get baptized to become a Christian; you get baptized because you are already a Christian.

Tongues is a gift only for the select few, everyone has there own gift from God. There is truth to this, but it is also misleading. There are actually two types of “Tongues”: the ministry gift to edify the body of believers (1 Corinthians 12:7-11, 30), and the personal prayer language (1 Corinthians 14:2 & 14, Romans 8:26 and Jude 20). In 1 Corinthians 12, we see a ministry gift being mentioned which entails an unknown tongue (to the speaker) being publicly spoken, accompanied with an interpretation in the audience’s known language. It’s actually the equivalent of prophecy. This is a gift that God will give to certain people as He sees fit. In 1 Corinthians 14, Romans 8:26 and Jude 20, we see another gift which is made available to all believers, a personal prayer language (speaking in tongues). Respectively, these Scriptures teach us that a Christian’s spirit is speaking directly to God; one can pray about weaknesses and situations unknown to the praying Christian; a Christian can build up the strength of his/her spirit.

Speaking in tongues is of the devil. If you sincerely and from your heart ask God for a gift, do you really believe that God will allow the devil to give you a counterfeit? (Luke 11:11-13) God knows our hearts and if we are truly seeking Him, you won’t be led astray. Read Acts 10, God sent Peter to a sinner, Cornelius, to help him because God saw that Cornelius’ heart was right before Him. If your heart is right, you CAN’T be deceived. Remember, you can be wrong about something without being deceived. You can have wrong thinking and have a good heart. But deception is the work of the enemy.

Speaking in tongues is a bunch of gibberish that fanatical Christians do. All of that isn’t necessary. People get off course and think that speaking in tongues is being filled with the Holy Spirit. Speaking in tongues isn’t being filled with the Holy Spirit; it’s the initial evidence that the believer has been filled with the Holy Spirit. But just like a car, you can run your tank low and need to get re-filled. Ephesians 5:18 talks about “Being filled with the Spirit” or “being filled” continually. If this experience isn’t necessary, then why didn’t Jesus allow the disciples to carry out the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) without it (Luke 24:49)? The fact is that it is very necessary. It is the anointing that God left for the Church to empower us for service. (Acts 10:38)

If you don’t speak in tongues you aren’t a Christian. A few sects of Christianity are misinformed here, as well. They base their thinking on Acts 2:38 which says “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Three things are mentioned together but they are separate processes: repentance, water baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This Scripture is not a formula for salvation, if it was then it would be repeated elsewhere in the New Testament for confirmation (2 Corinthians 13:1). Yet, Paul, Peter and others explicitly mention a salvation that comes by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9); salvation comes from believing on Jesus with your heart and confession of the Lord Jesus with your mouth (Romans 10:9-10, 13); Jesus preached about repentance leading to remission of sin without mention of water baptism or speaking in tongues (Luke 24:47). Speaking in tongues is a gift that is for Christians, it doesn’t make you a Christian.

You can be filled with the Holy Spirit and not speak in tongues. Wherever the Book of Acts mentions anyone initially being filled with the Spirit, they are subsequently speaking in tongues and/or prophesying. (Acts 2; Acts 10; Acts 19)

You have to tarry for the Holy Ghost. This is another misinterpretation of Scripture. In Luke 24:49, Jesus was telling those disciples that were physically on the earth with him to go to the Upper Room and wait (tarry) for “the Promise,” which we now know as the Acts 2 Pentecost experience. We don’t have to tarry, scream, holler, beg and froth at the mouth like some sects do. Everything we do with God or expect from God we do and get by faith. We believe that we receive and it’s done.

How do I receive the gift of the Holy Spirit?

1.) Forget all of the misconceptions and erroneous teachings you’ve heard about the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Re-read this article and study the Scriptures that are here. Make sure that you understand the gift of the Holy Spirit.

2.) Believe that the infilling is a gift that God has made available for you.
Believe that when you ask for it, you will receive exactly what the Bible says that it is.

3.) Start to worship God and thank Him for filling you with the Holy Spirit. Don’t time it, if it doesn’t come within the first minute, be patient, and do it by faith. If a strange word or sound comes out of your mouth or pops into your mind, say it by faith, and don’t be scared. It’s an unknown language to you, but not to God. Speak as the Spirit gives you the utterance. God will not make you speak in tongues, just like he won’t make you speak in English.

4.) Utilize your prayer language everyday. Your words will get clearer as you use your gift more and more.

In conclusion, the gift of the Holy Spirit is the key to the supernatural, deeper Scriptural revelation and insight. You can live a Christian life without it, but why wouldn’t you want to have all that God has made available for you? I could write a book about this subject, but you will still never comprehend all that this gift can do for you until you experience it personally. Don’t be scared and don’t be ashamed; it’s a gift from God, and everything that comes from God is good. Some people that you know who have received the infilling of the Holy Spirit may behave a little differently than you, or may have a louder worship style, but don’t let that discourage you. Go walk in the power of God, receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and go to higher heights and deeper depths in God!

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

A Pound of Flesh: Walking in Love, Mercy and Forgiveness

We are all familiar with the “golden rule.” Matthew 7:12 says “Do unto others as you would like for them to do to you.” We were taught as kids not to make fun of others, because if we were the ones being laughed at, it wouldn’t make us feel good. As we became older, we started to judge people and their actions. Maybe we cheered when someone was punished for a wrongdoing. The law does exist to punish wrongdoing, but sometimes things aren’t always what they seem to be. I know on an instance where a father dropped his scantily-clad daughter and some friends off downtown to hang out. When the girls got out of the car and started to walk away, the father called his daughter back to the passenger’s car door to ask her if she had enough money. He reached over and gave her $20.00. As she reached for the money, the cops drove up and assumed he was trying to solicit under aged girls for sex. My point is to make sure that you are correct in your judgment of others before you demand your “pound of flesh.” We should always be conscious to give people a break, so to speak, because you never know when you’ll need someone to give you a break and not judge you.

I am reminded of three examples concerning the cruel and harsh judgment that people have brought against our fellow man. As a sports fan of the 1980’s, I vividly remember the many great Major League Baseball games that were played. One of which was the 1986 Boston Red Sox vs. the California Angels for the American League Championship. Donnie Moore was pitching in Game 5 for the California Angels with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th inning. The Angels, leading 5-4, needed one out to claim the first pennant in their existence. Moore threw a split-fingered fastball; Dave Henderson sent it on a line over the left-center field wall. And the rest is history. Moore was tortured mentally and hassled by mean-spirited fans that were looking to “kick a man that was already down.” I wasn’t an Angels fan, but I really sympathized with him. The entire city and all of the fans worldwide were waiting anxiously for the last out so that they could celebrate going to their first world series. But that never happened.

In that same year, the Boston Red Sox who beat Donnie Moore and the Angels in the previous series were facing the New York Mets in the World Series. It was a very memorable season for Mets fan and I can remember the starting line up as if it were yesterday when “Doc” Gooden was pitching against Roger Clemens in Game One. Fast-forwarding to Game 5 at Shea Stadium in New York, Boston was up 3 games to 2, and the Mets were down by 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th inning. The Mets started to get a little rally going and got a few hits, and the crowd starts to get a little excited. Centerfielder, Mookie Wilson stepped to the plate with the go ahead run in scoring position with 2 outs. Mookie hit a slow ground ball to the injured first baseman, Bill Buckner. Bill was suffering with a leg injury, but he insisted on playing in the World Series. Well it was a routine, slow rolling ground ball, and all he had to do was make the stop and trot about 6 feet to his left and his team would’ve won a championship. Well the ball went right between his legs, and the Mets won the game and eventually would win the World Series in the next game. How dejected that man must have felt to let such a fundamental play go unexecuted.


In both of these instances, it was obvious that Donnie Moore and Bill Buckner made a crucial error that directly affected the success of their respective teams. But was it worth it for these men and their families to have to be ridiculed, scorned, mocked and jeered by some mean-spirited fans? They already let a golden opportunity slip away from them when they committed the errors. But to have the error rehearsed over and over again was probably like reopening a wound and pouring salt on it. Besides, these guys didn’t hurt anyone; they didn’t steal anything or damage anyone’s property. They made an honest mistake in a baseball game. That’s all they did! You would’ve thought they dropped a nuclear bomb on a major American city the way some fans behaved. But that’s the society in which we live; everyone wants a pound of flesh. Donnie Moore committed suicide over his ordeal, and Bill Buckner got harassed to the point that he had to sell his home and move his family to another part of the country. Folks, that is crazy for people to not to be able to live their lives after an insignificant error. It was a big error in the history of sports. But is sports really that important in the grand scheme of things? We live in a world of war, poverty, corruption, gang violence, etc. and some “psychotic” fans of the 1986 Angels and Red Sox were indirectly responsible for a suicide and the uprooting of a family. However, with some love, encouragement and support, these two men could’ve bounced back the following year and gave it another shot, but they were never the same; a pound of flesh is what they wanted, and the crazed fans got it. I wonder how those heckling fans felt after they heard about Moore’s suicide and the uprooting of Buckner’s family. They couldn’t even live or raise their families in the same area in which they worked. That’s sad.

One final example was a recent incident involving New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine-(D). A State Trooper was driving him to a function and the vehicle they were in flipped over at nearly 90 mph. The Governor, the driver and other motorists could have died. None did thank God. When the news broke about the accident, we all should’ve hoped that all was going to be alright. But no, the enemies of the Governor wanted justice to be served immediately because the Governor broke the seat belt law. They wanted their pound of flesh. Well I’m not a fan of the Governor, but he is a human being, and deserves some compassion, sympathy, as well as some rest and peace during his time of recovery. But they came for their pound of flesh. It’s time to pay! Was he wrong? Yes. But for all of you flesh eaters, Galatians 6:7 says “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Micah 6:8 teaches us “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? The day will come when you will.” You don’t have to be so quick to see justice to come to people for their wrongdoing. I’m certain that you would like a reprieve for some of the things you have done, as well.

In all of these examples, we see mistakes that were made and the repercussions: lost opportunities for success, and a nearly fatal accident on a major New Jersey Highway. Among humans, there is no grace, mercy and forgiveness. There’s only “what have you done for me lately?” Well I am so thankful to God that He doesn’t love, forgive and judge me like mankind supposedly loves, forgives and judges me. We’ve already seen mankind’s model for extending mercy and grace; it’s non-existent or conditional, at best. Now let’s look at the true model of love, mercy and forgiveness and see how it’s really supposed to be done.

Love is abstract. It isn’t tangible; you can’t grab it and put it in your pocket. It’s a principle or concept that must be demonstrated in order to be comprehended.

God is the model and Jesus came to reveal who God is to us.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:27 “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal Him.”
John 17:25-26 Jesus said “O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name [character and nature], and will declare it [continually], that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

What is love?

1 John 4:8 says that “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”

What does love look like?

John 15:13 Jesus said that “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
Romans 5:8 says “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

What do we do with love?

John 13:34 Jesus said “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.”
John 1:17 says “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
John 15:9 Jesus said “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”
Matthew 5:43-44 Jesus said “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.”

How do we use these Scriptures and apply them to our everyday life? Quite simply, what did God show us in Jesus? Were we all guilty and did we deserve punishment for our sins? Yes. Did we get punished? No. Then go do likewise to your fellow man. As God loved you, go love everyone else the same way. When we sin does God tell people about our faults, secret sins and shortcomings? No. Go treat your fellow man the same way. Does God ridicule us when we make a mistake or sin willfully? No, but God extends grace, and love to us. 1 Peter 4:8 says “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity [love] shall cover the multitude of sins.” Romans 2:4 says “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” Even when we don’t deserve it God is good to us. That’s how we are supposed to be toward others. Love is the earmark of a true disciple of Christ; hence we should strive to walk in love in a greater measure each day. Jesus said in John 13:35 “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” Remember, love isn’t tangible, it must be demonstrated, and we must be doers of God’s Word and not hearers only (James 1:22 & Matthew 7:26)

Don’t be mean-spirited like the people in the examples that I’ve shared. Extend love, grace and mercy when people need it, even if they don’t deserve it. You and I didn’t deserve it either, but that’s God nature and we are partakers of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). That’s how God does us, and He wants us to demonstrate his love to the world, so that they can see Him operating through us. Remember, His goodness brings people to repentance (Romans 2:4). God is invisible but His creation proves His existence, so let’s act like God and personify His attributes to a cold world. Let’s show the world that we have something that they want and need. Instead of retaliating and acting like the world in a given situation, when things go wrong, let evil be overcome with good (Romans 12:21). Remember the “golden rule” as well. This isn’t something that you can do in your own strength and power, but by God’s Spirit (Zechariah 4:6). Live well!

Sunday, May 13, 2007

The Welfare Mentality

The misnomer of welfare normally brings to mind a negative connotation of some minority mother having babies and getting a check from the government. But welfare isn't a social program, it’s a mentality. “Give me, give me, let me have me” is a little phrase I learned at school in North Carolina, and it was said to people who would so-called “asked for an inch and took a mile.” In other words, you were a beggar. Well, this to some degree, is the essence of “the Welfare Mentality (WM); taking or getting something for nothing. This isn't to be mistaken for a blessing or a gift, because a gift or blessing is given from a voluntary and willing heart, and not the product of compulsion, guilt or manipulation. Some individuals, corporations and governments have a welfare mentality and this is a part of the reason why America is having so many problems today. Corporations get subsidies from taxes through government, and welfare benefits are given, not as a temporary help, but as a lifestyle income. Many times the behavior of the recipients is counter-productive. A lot of people don’t want to hear that, but it is still the truth. There is a way to distribute to people in a way that they can retain self-dignity, get the temporary help that they need, so that they can get back on their feet. The protocol is actually: family, friends, and then private sector charities like the church. Why are things seemingly going against the way they should? Is it because the Democrats are good and the Republicans are bad? It isn't because of the Democrats and the Republicans, most of them are all shills anyway, but it’s this philosophical detour away from truth, foundational principles and common sense that has caused many around the world to mock a once loved country.

The Welfare Mentality (WM) comes in many forms, and here are some (WM) shared by individuals, corporations and governments:

· They have no aspirations to achieve or do better than the status quo.

· They always blame others for their circumstances, instead of being proactive and making personal changes.

· They have little regard for other people, their property or time. Watch out for people who drop food and spill drinks in your car and act like it’s no big deal. These people also call you at all hours of the day and show up at your house like they live there.

· They always try to beat the system and take advantage of people. Look out for people who always want a “hook-up.”

· They always play on the emotions of people who have what they want or what they don’t have. If you’ve ever been out and stopped at a traffic light, you may have seen a person holding a sigh saying “I’m a Vet, feed me. God Bless You” or “Help me go to basketball camp in Jesus' name.” I’m not against helping someone who is on hard times, a lot of us have suffered and gone through lean days. But why do I always have to see God, Jesus or a Scripture associated with a person needing help? I don’t need to be manipulated into charitable giving. A lot of preachers do the same thing. They appeal to your emotions rather than just preaching the Word and letting the Holy Spirit deal with people’s hearts. That’s manipulation and control in both instances, and the anticipated end result is a feeling of guilt, and the eventual payoff. There’s nothing for free in this world folks. There is a time for charity and a time for productive work ethic.

· They always downplay productivity, creativity or innovation. These are what I call “the haters.” Supposedly these are your friends, but you don’t feel that they will support or encourage your dream by the way you see them conducting their own life, or how they bash other people’s creativity.

· They always play the role of the victim. No one owes you anything.

· They always want a handout, but never offer to earn their way. Watch out for people you go out with and they never offer to pay for you. If they treat, it’s when you go to Cici’s Pizza, but you treat when you go to Red Lobster. If that’s the best they can do, that’s fine, but don’t walk around with a new Coach pursue and tell me that you are tired of being broke. These people eat, drink and wear their money.

· They are always being negative when others want to make a positive change away from the WM and they want to remain status quo. A lot of African Americans do this when a person wants to further their education. Some of the others in the group may say that you’re “acting white” or “bougie” if you are articulate and act a bit more professional.

· They are always being kept dependant upon a source that doesn’t care about them, their self-esteem, or their best interests. Women who sleep with men who will take care of some financial needs have a WM. People who have a WM don’t call their own shots. They are always at someone’s beckoning call, while the proverbial carrot on a string is held out in front of them. Many women who behave this way have no concept of independence or self-esteem.

· They are always finding ways to get gratification, but never have anything of their own, i.e., Prodigal Son. We all know someone who doesn’t work or cant hold a job, but they are always dressing nice and looking good, with no place to stay and ½ of a car.

· They get their WM from friends and/or family members with whom they are closest. As the saying goes, “Birds of a feather flock together.”

· Brown nosing is a form of WM. It provides job security and allows them to suck off of the system, while wasting their time, talents and resources. Cops and other law enforcement officials who don’t know the law, but just follow orders from their superiors in blind obedience, suffer from a form of WM. They say “I’m just doing my job” and that’s a lazy excuse for not being informed and/or enforcing laws that rid our communities of true crimes, not minor infractions. If you are in any form of law enforcement, and you answer “yes” to at least one of the following, then you are definitely suffering from the WM.

1. You would take law abiding citizens guns if your superiors ordered you to do so.

2. You harass citizens for seat belt violations while crack dealers are lining the streets.

3. You would frame someone in order to keep your job.

4. You would violate a citizen’s right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

You are accountable for your actions to enforce the authority of the biblical civil magistrate and the original US Constitution. This mentality of “well he/she told me to do it” came from Adam, Eve and the serpent in the Garden of Eden. After Eve ate the fruit, she gave it to Adam and he ate. Then Eve blamed the serpent and Adam tried to blame Eve for why he ate the fruit. No sir/ma’am, you are accountable for your own actions! You law enforcement agents (police, military, security guards, etc.) don’t have to follow unlawful orders. The Nuremberg trials proved that. The Nazi officers who were caught after World War II tried to use that defense that they were just “following orders.” The military tribunal didn’t accept that as a rational answer and the officers were put to death or imprisoned. Remember folks, you can’t “pass the buck.” Stand on truth, reason and conviction, and act accordingly. If your superiors are ordering you to do stuff that you know is wrong, don’t just “go-along-just-to-get-along.” You should be a person of conviction, God will vindicate you.

Where did America go wrong? A lot of things were done wrong in the history of this country, but a big problem is that many things were always swept under the rug, ignored, festered and became worse. This has been going on for decades. [Author’s side note: let me preface my upcoming remarks by saying that I’m going to say something’s that you may not like, but if you read what I’m saying and think about them in context with the article, you’ll understand my point. Please do not get off-course; I’m on your team, folks. I just want to bring something’s to your attention and raise your consciousness on some issues.] We have a society that’s looking for handouts, whether they are in the form of a free lunch, more funding, job-provided benefits, 401K, retirement, health care, etc. Now I’m not saying that having these things is bad, but follow this logic. The wealthy and the elite only teach you what they want you to know. They don’t teach you what they know because that would give you an upper hand on them. Remember that! These wealthy investors take your weekly or monthly contributions into their fund and they invest it for you in vehicles to which the average person isn’t privy. They probably make 100’s of per cent per annum. But when you look at your statement, it maybe up 10%-20%. The average person is ecstatic, because it’s a lot more than the banking account yields. Well my point is that these aren’t the types of investments that the wealthy use, they have created these investments to use the average person’s money to get more wealth, and they give you a paltry user’s fee, to boot. I just want you to see the game they are playing, that’s all. I’m not suggesting that anyone liquidate their assets and invest it themselves. When you demand something of someone who doesn’t have your best interest at heart, believe me they are going to give you what you ask for, but it will always benefit them more than it benefits you. Remember that! Don't wait for people to do things for you. If you can, do some things yourself.

In government, policies such as FDR’s New Deal and LBJ’s Great Society were big “Socialist” policies that were accepted and grew with popularity in the 20th century because many people were granted entitlements (social programs). As a result of FDR’s New Deal policies, some members of the Socialist Party of America voted for the Democratic Party, in 1936. Now, that should tell you something. Later, many prominent members of the Socialist Party of America, such as: Walter Reuther, Philip Randolph and Bayard Rustin, left the party with the view that they had more chance of achieving progressive reform by being active in the Democratic Party. Folks are you listening out there?! The influence of this socialist juggernaut came from Russia, Germany and other despotic leaders in world history, and we see that this has crept into American politics. Oh but don’t worry, the Republican aren’t off the hook either. You can look at the video on my site by Rep. Ron Paul, a speech called “Neo-conned” where he explains that the Neo-conservative movement was birthed from the Trotskyites (more Socialist Russian roots [Leon Trotsky]) What in the world is going on here?! How can Americans embrace the epitome of the welfare mentality by adopting socialist views or having socialists to feel comfortable joining forces with you? That's something to think about if you vote for these people. Folks, I beg you to listen to reason. These people don’t love you. They will take care of your every need if they can get you to pay for it and vote for them. The elite have their money in tax-free foundations and trusts, they don’t pay for all of this stuff; the average person does. They always shift the burden of cost to you. They raise the prices of their products and services and pass the costs onto you. I do the same thing in my profession, if there is a side cost that I need covered, I pass it on to my customer. That’s just the way it works! Stop letting these people tell you that they are here to save you. It isn't about right and left, conservative and liberal; it's about right and wrong.

Hopefully you’re starting to understand what’s going on. It’s too bad that no one gets mad and says anything. Most people are now getting excited about Hillary and Obama, like they are going to save America or something. Every time I see these people, as well as Giuliani, McCain and the rest of these individuals, I’m repulsed. I’m digressing; I apologize. Our government compulsorily takes middle class America’s money through Unconstitutional taxation, similar to that of a socialist nation (in some instances Americans pay over 50% of their income in taxes), and we pay for all of these politicians to have lavish salaries, benefits and junkets. They demand that the American citizens provide the government with an income statement and balance sheet (filing taxes), and if you don’t do so impeccably, they will throw you in jail. But does the government, balance the budget and provide the American people with an impeccable audit of the money they have taken from the American people? No. "Total undocumented accounting adjustments for reported periods for the Department of Defense [and HUD for fiscal 1998-2000] amount to a whopping $3.3 Trillion or $11,700 for every American. The Department of Defense has failed to produce independent audited financial statements since the requirement went into effect in 1995. HUD's Inspector General refused to certify HUD's fiscal 1999 financial statements." Over $3 Trillion and no one was outraged! So what happens when they aren’t forthcoming with their accountability to us? They give us a whitewashed explanation concerning a breakdown in communication or something, and they demand an investigation (that goes nowhere). Then they say that the department was under funded, and they take more tax money from the people to give to the department/agency. If they don’t take it from you on the front-end in taxes, they just sell more bonds to the Federal Reserve, make them print more money and the American people pay it back through taxation, so either way they’ve got you. This is a WM of not being accountable, and you should be outraged! You should all confront these sheep that are waving these Bush, Hillary, and Obama posters and ask them if they know that $3 Trillion of our tax dollars is missing. They probably don't. Sheep just follow, they don't think.

Finally, people need to renew their minds about productivity. Productivity and innovation, via the Industrial Revolution, is what initially elevated American to world economic power. In the 1970’s, the Japanese cars were very inexpensive and not very resourceful cars. Today, Japanese cars dominate many American roads. Why? Because they built upon previous innovations, corrected mistakes, and now they are a perennial producer of the world’s most efficient cars. They didn’t just hang their head and ask the government to subsidize a shortfall. They progressed and built on previous successes, innovated, and voila! As far as continents are concerned today, Europe (a WM continent) is a very unproductive continent compared to Asia. Europe has the 30 hour week, and 5 week vacations, and incredible benefits for its employees. But Europe, as a whole isn’t productive and can’t compete with the innovative and progressive markets of the world, unless they reform their structure. Asian countries work harder, longer and cheaper. To which region are the American corporations outsourcing jobs by the way? They are going to India, China and other Asian countries. When people of any race are coddled and treated like victims, they are instantly crippled and will remain in the dependency stage of their lives, and won’t grow. It’s like a plant that is left in the flower pot in the kitchen, when it should be uprooted and planted outside. Or it can be likened to an air conditioning unit that’s turned on while the window is left open, a waste. But you are not a waste, God has given us all dreams, desires, goals and creativity, and whether or not you use it determines your success. Any dream is attainable, if it wasn’t then God is a tease. Remember, with God all things are possible. If you dream about yourself doing something great, where did the dream come from? You can’t create a dream, you can only recall thoughts. Remember that! It must have come from God because the enemy isn’t going to show you achievement and doing positive things. Renew your mind and see a new way to achieve, grow and build. You can do it, so let’s go!

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Apologetics: Why do you Believe what you Believe?

What is Apologetics? The American Heritage Dictionary says that it is “the branch of theology that is concerned with defending or proving the truth of Christian doctrines, a position or a system.” What do you believe and why do you believe it? What are your convictions? Upon what are your convictions founded? These are a few questions for all people to answer, whether you are a Christian or not. Answering these questions honestly will reveal the innermost core of your being-who you really are, and not the façade that many people portray. These questions are rhetorical; think about them, answer them to yourself, and you may learn a lot about who you are and what has influenced you negatively and positively.

Many of today’s leaders, religious and secular, get trained at very exclusive facilities whose agenda might not be what you think they are presenting. A lot of times politicians and other leaders are masters at sleight-of-hand. They are trained at captivating crowds and holding your attention through mannerisms, voice inflections and the use of “buzz words,” just to name a few things. A lot of political think tanks who may claim to have a liberal or a conservative bias actually has a socialist slant to them. They won’t tell you this because to say the word “socialist,” would immediately register thoughts in people’s minds of Nazi Germany and/or the “Communist Manifesto” by Karl Marx.

We have many societal influences that help to shape why we believe what we believe. Family, peer pressure, cultural influence, gender, geographical location, socio-economic status, position, marital status, and a host of other factors play a part in the decisions we make about our belief system. Nevertheless, we must remember that we are all individuals, with different personalities, experiences, etc. However, universal truths and laws can’t be compromised, i.e., the law of gravity, the earth spinning on its axis, or seedtime and harvest. Some things are just laws of life. But other things like professions, a mate, a healthy diet, and a place to live can be compromised to an extent and we have the ability to choose or reject these things. You believe something, whether you consciously realize it or not. Why is this important? Because “why” we believe something will determine how fervent the zeal for that thing will be; and “what” we believe will determine what we have in life. These are powerful statements! What you believe is who you are. It is the culmination and processing of all of your experiences, and the information that you have received over a period of time, whether it’s good or bad.

Your belief system is your guide, and “why” you believe in your belief system is your thrust or your gas pedal, so to speak. So forget the opinions of men; forget the traditions of men; forget about party affiliations; forget about church membership; forget about impressing the opposite sex; forget about your “so-called friends”; forget about your job; and forget about your family. In reality, God and you know what you are all about; what you don’t know about yourself, He will show you, which leaves you with no other variables to consider. We are accountable to people on this earth, i.e., relationships, jobs and other commitments. But how can you truly commit to someone or something outside of yourself if you don’t know who you are, what you believe and why you believe it? That is powerful, folks! We’ve all heard the saying, “your word is your bond.” Well your word is apart of you, rooted in you. But rooted in what? (Rhetorical question) Who are you? What is important to you? What makes you happy? Sad? Angry? What is your passion? Folks, each one of us need to answer these questions across the board. When you leave this earth, what are people going to remember about you? Sure people are going to misunderstand you, misquote you, and mistreat you. But if the true essence of who you are was to come out, what would it be and how would it affect those around you? Look at the lives of great men and women in world history: Jesus, they killed him and his legacy is stronger 2,000 years after He walked the earth. Time changed because of Him: the calendar went from B.C. to A.D. That’s powerful! Influential leaders, good and bad, have buildings, cities, foundations and organizations named after them, as well as statues made in their honor. They made a lasting impression on their sphere of influence. Whether they were right or wrong, they were persuasive and passionate and there was a conviction about the message they delivered. You might as well stand for the right thing, know it’s right, and go all out to make sure that your message is proclaimed with conviction, power, and authority. What are you believing, saying and proclaiming with your mouth and/or your actions today?

Daniel Goleman, the author of “Emotional Intelligence” (this book is on my recommended reading list on this site), he makes a relevant point pertaining to this article related to “cognitive dissonance.” Cognitive dissonance quite simply is “a condition of conflict or anxiety resulting from inconsistency between one's beliefs and one's actions, such as opposing the slaughter of animals and eating meat.” This dissonance in rap and our youth is that everyone knows that is isn’t right to do and say some of the things that are purported in the rap industry, but people support it because it’s “the in thing to do.” Remember in the second paragraph I mentioned societal influences that shape and mold our belief system? Well, that statement in conjunction with this Dr. Goleman’s quote (below) should help make a demonstrative point: “The range of what we think and do is limited by what we fail to notice. And because we fail to notice that we fail to notice there is little we can do to change until we notice how failing to notice shapes our thoughts and deeds.” ~ Daniel Goleman in Vital Lies, Simple Truths: The Psychology of Self-Deception. In other words, our ignorance or failure to recognize things in our environment puts us in a room with a ceiling. But when we become more open to recognize what exists in our surroundings, we can start to remove that ceiling. People make excuses because they have a mindset to do so, rather than facing the problem and making the change. Rap music has become an excuse to act irresponsibly. There are alternatives though. Check out my recommended list on the site: Cross Movement, Corey Red, Precise, Rock Soul Entertainment are all very positive, gifted and anointed Hip Hop artists.

Folks, I’m challenging you to find out who you are and what you believe, because that will determine what happens to the next generation. What will be passed on to them? Look at some of the young people today. What has been passed on to them? You have to be open to truth and good information, and act upon it. Sometimes the information may not come from your preacher or your trusted source for the passed few years. Open your heart, be sincere, the truth is out there. I can tell you truth all day long. But if your heart isn’t open to receive it, or if you receive information because of who’s delivering it, it won’t be a heart-felt conviction to you. You’ll just absorb it because he/she said it, and not because this is truth and it’s going to help you. You have to know truth is truth in your heart. Do you know the truth? How do you know truth? Is what you believe truth? Have the charlatan politicians and preachers hoodwinked you? How do you know? I run into so many Christians that say concerning Bible truths, “well I think” or “well I believe.” Folks, that’s not good enough. Your thinking or your believing is in vain if it isn’t founded upon truth: Truth of Scripture, truth about how the world works, the truth about money, the truth about politics, the truth about healthcare, etc. Whatever is relevant to your world is the truth that you need to know! Be a student and a follower of truth. Don’t let someone tell you what truth is, that’s their revelation; you need a revelation. Take their information, and test it. Truth will always stand, and a lie is easy to spot, if you have truth. Read my article called “Listen to and Follow your Heart” and “How the Mass Media Thinks for You.” You won’t be led astray if you follow your heart. Now go and do the right thing!

Hip Hop: A Sub-Culture that has been Hijacked

God is the Creator of all things, including cultures. God expresses Himself through His creation: through the vastness of His creation, through the animals, through music, through people, and through cultures. All cultures are an expression of the creativity and the nature of God. The apparel, the cuisine, the etiquette, the traditions, the music (jazz, rock and roll, salsa, blues, etc.), the dances and manners of living all showcase a glimpse of God from all around the globe. You are NOT your culture. Your culture is a reflection of you. It is the distinct and unique characteristics of God’s nature specifically design for you and your group to express a part of God in this world. For example, the image you see in the mirror you; is that you or a reflection of you? God puts different cultural characteristics in ethnic groups, and innately the group behaves accordingly. Similarly, Hip-Hop is a sub-cultural artistic outlet. It began in the 1970’s and consists of: break dancing, popping, locking, rapping, scratching & mixing, and graffiti (tagging) and b-boy/b-girl apparel, occurring mainly in the urban youth in the African American community. My purpose for writing this article is to express my displeasure at Hip-hop being hijacked. As an adult, I look at rap today and it’s a disgrace. Hip-Hop seems to be nearly extinct compared to the explosion of the mainstream rap. I know times, things, and styles change; we live in a progressive world. In 21st century rap, there is very little substance and creativity in the artists, the beats, and lyrical content. There use to be metaphorical geniuses, creative plays on words, imagery, and poetic allegory that couldn’t be taught. But today, we are experiencing a sub-culture that has been hijacked.


There have always been elements within the Hip-Hop community that have not been positive, but that wasn’t and isn’t what Hip-Hop is about. Again, Hip-Hop is a sub-culture primarily of the African-American community for artistic expression. But for sometime now, Hip-Hop has been hijacked by images of money, sex, drugs, gangs, violence, etc and has been commercialized by the mainstream media. In the 1980’s, I remember when there would be neighborhood battles (non-violent break dancing and popping competitions). This was done instead of fighting, and the kids were demonstrating something that was a passion in them. The things some of those kids were doing couldn’t be taught, either it was in you or it wasn’t. Self-proclaimed truth seekers were “building knowledge” (instructing the youth about history and right living) on street corners. I didn’t particularly believe in everything they were saying, but there was a consciousness about serving God and right from wrong. And while I don’t agree with defacing public property, there were some very talented graffiti artists who sharpened and honed their skills and later became architects, cartoonists and advertising agents.


Today we don’t see a lot of this. Some of the more positive elements of Hip-Hop still exist, but they aren’t in the mainstream media. Mainstream rap is not Hip-Hop, and it basically appeals to the Caucasian audience. Generally, if you appeal to the mainstream, you’re going to make a lot more money. There’s nothing wrong with the Caucasian fan base or making a lot of money, but Hip-Hop (once great) has lost its flavor. So the temptation exists for underground rappers and lyricists with positive messages to compromise the true roots of Hip-Hop for more money. Unfortunately, a lot of them sell-out. A lot of negative rappers justify their behavior by saying that they speak about real life “street” issues and they mirror what life for the kids is like, so that they can relate to them. However, that thinking is flawed. A mirror shows you the image with the flaws, not to glorify and emulate the flaws, but to locate the flaws and fix them. Many Hip Hop artists, past and present, glorify the flaws of the African American community, and much of the younger generation emulates that. This isn’t how we raise the consciousness of our contemporaries or the next generation. We need to fix the problems, not make them larger and appealing to practice. Those of us who were kids when Hip-Hop started are now in our 30’s, and those of us who are still walking around with a mountain of jewelry around your neck and in your mouth need to wake up. That is not reality! No one is going to hire you for a real job looking like that. Those rappers can do that because it’s an image that they are being paid to portray. Responsible men and women need to reach out to, and connect with these young people and share the realities of life with them. These types of mentor/protégé relationships are so necessary. Many times, these relationship aren’t available long-term for the youth, so they look for these connections in gangs, sex, drugs, and other forms of trouble.


Look folks, this is a world where everything is a commercial transaction. That statement is key! This world is all about money. And those who make the money know how to play the game, and those who have the money make the rules. Listen to the rappers of today, because there aren’t many Hip-Hop artists. The rappers are talking about bling, goin’ to the club, shootin’ someone, drinkin’ alcohol, smokin’ marijuana, thuggin’, or pimpin’. A lot of these rappers aren’t even talented, but they have stupid gimmicks and a “hook” and you buy it. (Please read my articles about “How the Mass Media Thinks for You.”) If you put these messages to a nice beat, people are going to move to it and buy it. These rappers and business executives are getting so rich off of you consumers supporting this trash. An artistic express, Hip-Hop, has been stolen from and sold out by members of the same society that started it. Some African Americans blame the Caucasians for capitalizing on rap artists. Hey, this is America, “Forget the Icing, I wanna Taste the Cake.” Remember, everything is a commercial transaction. Follow the Money! A lot of these gangster rappers left the illegal business, and do it legally as an image, and make a lot more money, to the detriment of the cultural that helped to form them. Last Saturday, Floyd Mayweather Jr. came out of his dressing room to fight Oscar de la Hoya with 50 Cent rapping in his entourage. This is just so irresponsible. It’s unfortunate, but a lot of people have no social or moral ethics. 50 Cent and people like him are a cancer to our society. 50 Cent’s video game “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” rewards players with points for selling drugs, doing a drive-by shooting, putting grenades in people’s mouths, etc. This is amazing! He may say I’m just portraying an image, “I’m just keepin’ it real.” Yeah, OK, keepin’ it real. Don’t support Snoop Dog and Trick Daddy, Ludacris, and the rest of these rappers. Look you’ve already made these people wealthy; you are the ones that are living in the neighbors from which they moved. They don’t want to live around you. They don’t want to be around you and your family. They just want you to buy their CD’s. These are the villains of Hip-Hop, not the executives, because if the Hip-Hop artists stayed true, then the executives couldn’t sign the truly talented artists. Think about this article folks, the next generation is following a bad example that is being set. We need to raise the standard and consciousness of our communities. Live well!

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Listen to and Follow Your Heart

The physical heart is one of the most important organs in your body. We do all sorts of things for our hearts, in the natural, to preserve, to strengthen, and to make sure they are operating at an optimal level. At the same time, what many people may not know is that we have a mental and a spiritual health that we must monitor, as well. But for the sake of this article we will be dealing with the spiritual. However, we (humans) are a three-part being created in the image and likeness of God. God is a three-in-one Divine being (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), not three gods. A plural unity, just like when a man and a woman unite in matrimony, the two people become one unit, not one person. Well human beings have a similar composition: we are spirit, soul and body according to 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Paul says “I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” There are many subjects in life that everybody can know about and/or master. But learning to listen to and to follow your heart is one of the most critical things that you’ll ever learn, because your spirit (the real you) is how you contact God and vice versa.

Spiritually speaking, our heart is our spirit. All of us are actually spirit beings walking around in an earth suit, a flesh body. There’s nothing to get all spooked out about, it’s just the reality of the matter. When a person dies, the spirit, or the real person, leaves the body to exist elsewhere. Remember, we were created in God’s image and likeness. God is a Spirit (John 4:24) and God breathed into man’s (mankind’s) nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7). So the essence of God is who we are. The interesting thing about God is that He desires to have fellowship with humans, and that’s why He made us. We have numerous examples in the Old Testament where God communed and talked with people directly: God gave Noah explicit instructions on how to build the ark (Genesis 6); God called Abraham (Genesis 12) and made a covenant with him (Genesis 15); God spoke to Moses and commissioned him to deliver the children of Israel (Exodus 3); and God gave Solomon wisdom to build the Temple (1 Kings 5-8). These are just a few Old Testament examples of God speaking expressly to His people, and there many more examples. But we live in the New Testament under Jesus Christ; Hebrews 8:6 says that “Jesus is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.” So how much more clearly and distinctly should we be able to access the counsel of God in our hearts if we have a better covenant and promises? Romans 8:14 says that “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” God communicates with us, and He leads us by His Spirit.

In the 21st century, we are a society that is enamored with our body, our appearance, our scent, our food, how our body feels, etc. There’s nothing wrong with this, but these are external pamperings that we give to ourselves, and God is not as demonstrative about the outward, as much as He is the inward. 1 Peter 3:3-4 says “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” A lot of people miss the intent here and use this Scripture to mean that women shouldn’t beautify themselves. That is pure fiction! Ladies, go ahead and keep it looking good. No man wants a tired, beat up looking woman with messed up feet. Peter was merely repeating what Jesus said about the outward appearance of the Pharisees versus their inward condition. Jesus said in Matthew 23:23-28 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone. Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee, first cleanse the inside of the cup and dish, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” See there’s nothing wrong with the outward looking nice, but God is more concerned about your spirit and spiritual condition.

I am going to give you a few easy principles to follow to help you to spiritually discern and distinguish God’s voice from your own mind, and from the enemy’s subtle suggestions. This article is for people who want to fine tune their walk with God. People who just go to church and are saved, but don’t grow passed the initial act of salvation won’t pursue or encourage you to pursue the contents of this message. But if you are pursuing the contents of this message, it is a good indicator that you want more of God. God speed to you!

  • According to Titus 3:5, Christians have become clean spiritually “according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit changed us and now resides in our hearts (spirits). Be conscious of the Holy Spirit’s presence in your life, even if it doesn’t feel like He’s there, He’s there.
  • It is an absolute necessity for you to be an avid hearer of the Word of God on tape, on CD, or reading the Word aloud to yourself. I liken this principle to the frequency on the radio. Radio signals are traveling through the air at all times, but we don’t hear them because we can’t hear on that level. So we need a receiver to get the signal. Once the receiver gets the signal, we fine tune the radio channel and maybe move the antenna a bit, and we can enjoy the message being transmitted. Our spirit works the same way. We have to train our spirit to hear on God’s level and do things His way. Remember Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.” What’s interesting is that God speaks in line with His Word, but He may or may not be quoting a Scripture, per se. Once you start to train yourself to hear God’s voice you’ll see what I mean. For example, the other day I was in traffic and was running late for a meeting. But I needed to make a stop and pick up some documents for the meeting before it started. I didn’t have time to stop and I got frustrated. Suddenly I heard the Spirit of God say, “She’ll bring them to you.” I didn’t know that I was meeting a woman, so I just went to the meeting. When I arrived a man and a woman came to facilitate the meeting. We all introduced ourselves, and the lady said, “Oh, these documents are for you.” I thanked her and smiled because I trained myself to recognize His voice, and it gave me a peace. That situation let me know that God truly does care about the small details of our lives, as well as the larger things.
  • Make strong confessions of faith based upon God’s Word. Say what you want, don’t say what you have. If you call and whistle for your dog to come, he will come to you. If he’s not there you don’t say “the dog isn’t here, hey, the dog isn’t here!” He’ll never come to you. He’ll probably look at you like you’re crazy. Don’t confess the negative, but confess the positive. Romans 10:17 says that “Faith comes by hearing the Word of God.” So when you hear and/or speak the Words of faith, what you hear registers in your spirit as faith. The Words are faith and your spirit knows this because that’s where the Holy Spirit dwells. So every time you hear faith, your spirit will recognize it. It doesn’t matter who’s saying it. This will help you to discern God’s voice in situations in your personal life. You must know that God always speaks faith, and your spirit will become accustomed to that frequency of faith, and you will eventually have no doubt when God is speaking to you. Do like Romans 4:17 which teaches us to “call those things which do not exist as though they did.” Say what you want to have, don’t say what you have, if what you have isn’t in line with God’s will. Do you understand the principle? If you need to read this a few times, please do. You’ll grasp it. If you already have lack, speak abundance. If you are already sick, speak health, healing and wholeness. Call what you want to come into existence. In the beginning, God saw darkness, but He said, “Let there be Light,” and the light appeared. I have a whole list of Scriptures that I have fashioned into personalized confessions to help you to train your spirit to recognize God’s voice. Anyone who emails me and requests it, I will send it to you, free of charge.
  • While you’re training your spirit, begin to obey the voice you hear even in the smallest instructions. I talk to people that I have never met on the phone everyday, and now when I hear their voice I instantly recognize who they are because of repetition and the frequency of the repetition. That is key! Just do it by faith; it works in the natural and in the spiritual.
  • Build up your spirit through prayer (Jude 20).
  • Build up a spiritual sensitivity to God through fasting. There is no New Testament instruction for fasting, Jesus only said “when you do fast.” In other words, no one should dictate to you when you should fast, that’s between you and God. Jesus fasted, and He is our example, so let Him guide you on fasting. But there are many Old Testament examples of fasting in Esther, Ezra, 2 Samuel and other incidents where the people of God were consecrating themselves to God’s purpose through fasting.
  • Spend quiet time, alone with God. You can pray and talk to Him, but give God an opportunity to speak to you in return. Wait and Listen to His voice. Jesus in John 10:27 said “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” If you belong to God, Jesus said that you know His voice, so say what He said. Say “I know God’s voice and I follow Him.”
  • Don’t talk to unbelievers and unbelieving Christians about spiritual matters like: hearing God’s voice, prayer, fasting, consecration, holiness and other things because if they are carnal and not spiritual, they may mock what you are doing and try to discourage you from pursuing God’s will for your life. This isn’t to say that you have to alienate yourself from people, because Jesus fraternized with sinners. But Jesus said in Matthew 7:6 (Amplified Bible) “Do not give that which is holy (the sacred thing) to the dogs, and do not throw your pearls before hogs, lest they trample upon them with their feet and turn and tear you in pieces.” In other words, there’s no reason to waste your valuable time and information on people who won’t appreciate it.
  • Surround yourself with strong Christians who will support you and help to build you and your faith. Invest in sound materials that will enhance your growth and walk with the Lord.
  • If you hear a voice and you still aren’t sure if it is God or not, judge the voice by asking yourself if the voice is asking you to do something immoral. The enemy definitely won’t encourage you to tell someone about salvation in Christ. Now the enemy may tell you to go preach the Gospel in the middle of the highway, so by using common sense you know that isn’t God. God saved your spirit, but he didn’t remove your common sense. Remember that!
  • You’ll know when it’s your feelings as opposed to your heart because your mind will change a few times, you’ll try to rationalize wrong, you won’t have peace about it, and it’ll be like your trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. You’ll just know that something isn’t right. If you get that feeling don’t move. Just wait for that peace. When God’s doing it, it flows. If there is a little bit of opposition from people with what you’re doing and you have peace about moving forward, follow your heart. That’s what we’re learning to do, follow our hearts, because that’s where the Holy Spirit resides in us (the Church). He’s not in the building, He dwelt in the Temple in the Old Testament, but now, we are His Temple, the Christians are the Church (1 Corinthians 6:19).

Follow these steps and give yourself sometime to grow in them. You won’t master this over night, but with practice you will become more sensitive to God and become more aware of His presence. Be patient, God’s not going anywhere. He’ll lead you and guide you, if you let Him. By reading this article and pursuing these insights, this proves that you’re growing already. Godspeed! Stay tuned for the next article on being filled with the Spirit.

B.E.Z.

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