Le’Andria Johnson is Pregnant

Gospel Singer and Sunday's Best past winner, Le'Andria Johnson, is pregnant.  Check out the article and news HERE.

A New Reality Show for Mary Mary

Gospel duo, Mary Mary, have their very own reality show starting on March 29th (10pm EST) on We TV.

The We TV website provides the following synopsis for the show:

Sister duo Erica and Tina Campbell make up the multi-Grammy award winning Gospel group Mary Mary. Balancing busy lives of worldwide recording artists with the demands of being both mothers and wives is challenging, especially when working closely with family.


Tina and her husband, Teddy, have four children. Erica and her husband, Warryn, have two small children and are expecting another. Despite the glamorous life of Mary Mary on the road, at home it’s very different. Luckily for Erica and Tina, their supportive husbands also work in the music business and understand the challenges they face. Warryn is the successful producer to Mary Mary, and Tina’s husband, Teddy, is The Tonight Show’s drummer. In the end, family trumps all, but Mary Mary’s music is their true passion, and they are determined to reach even greater heights.

Per We TV: New episodes then air in its regular timeslot Thursdays at 9pm EST beginning April 5, with 10, hour-long episodes.

Looking forward to the show!

Mary Mary Cancels Christmas Tour



Photo from: http://www.mary-mary.com/us/photos/official



Gospel duo, Mary Mary, has cancelled their Christmas Tour.  Group member, Erica Campbell, is pregnant with her third child; as her due date draws near, doctors have advised her to rest from the vigorous schedule.

The following statement was issued via Facebook:

“Sorry everyone, we had to cancel the “Have A Mary Mary Christmas Tour.” Just know that I have the greatest passion for whom I sing about and a great love and respect for whom I sing to, so I’ll be back to what I live for as soon as I take care of mommy business.” – Erica Campbell

More details can be found HERE.

Wishing Erica much rest as she prepares for the new addition to her family!

Have People Stopped Attending Church

With so much going on in today's times, it appears that the number of those attending church should be increasing.  However, here's an interesting article by Dr. Lisa Tait on the state of church attendance.

Click here to read

Black News: Fewer Americans Calling Themselves Christian

America is a less Christian nation than it was 20 years ago, and Christianity is not losing out to other religions, but primarily to a rejection of religion altogether, a survey published Monday found.

Survey finds percentage of of Americans identifying themselves as Christian has fallen over two decades.

Seventy-five percent of Americans call themselves Christian, according to the American Religious Identification Survey from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. In 1990, the figure was 86 percent.

William Donohue, president of the Catholic League said he thinks a radical shift towards individualism over the last quarter-century has a lot to do it.

"The three most dreaded words are thou shalt not," he told Lou Dobbs. "Notice they are not atheists -- they are saying I don't want to be told what to do with my life."

At the same time there has been an increase in the number of people expressing no religious affiliation.

The survey also found that "born-again" or "evangelical" Christianity is on the rise, while the percentage who belong to "mainline" congregations such as the Episcopal or Lutheran churches has fallen.

Click to read.

Technorati Tags: black church,black churches,black gospel,black news headlines

What is the Black Church?

 

By Rev. Nicholas A. Pearce

Though often portrayed as a singular, monolithic entity, many scholars debate whether “the Black Church” truly exists. While the distinctive differences that have so long divided predominantly African-American Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, and non-denominational churches are apparent, a potentially pernicious predicament currently demands our attention. While many people focus on the differences that exist among denominations and local churches, our attention must turn to one critical challenge we face within many of our churches. Young people are always labeled “The Church of Tomorrow,” which suggests two things: (1) that their spiritual gifts, leadership, and contributions are less meaningful, insignificant, and/or invalid at present and (2) the presupposition that tomorrow is promised. As countless young people leave the Church and still others sit restlessly in the pews waiting for a tomorrow deferred to finally arrive, the question we must confront is clear – when is “tomorrow” today?

The situation looks much like a track relay race. Our parents in the ministry were passed the baton of the Word of God by their parents and find themselves running the race of leadership as the next generation prepares in anticipation of receiving the baton in the exchange zone. Our forerunners in the ministry generally fall into one of three typological categories as they approach the exchange zone. (1) Some of our parents finish strong and cleanly pass on the baton to the next generation to run the next leg of the race. (2) Others of our parents, hearing the acclamation of the cheering crowd, decide to run an extra lap and skip the waiting generation in the exchange zone. Other racers with fresh legs soon pass by as these overzealous individuals run out of energy and solemnly realize that the baton was meant to be passed to the next generation. The overlooked and disenfranchised next generation ponders their befallen state and searches for other constructive outlets for their energy and talent that was intended to be expended in the race. (3) Still others of our parents approach the exchange zone with timidity, fearing that they will slowly fade out of the picture as they relinquish possession of the baton to a seemingly untested new generation. The combination of the outgoing generation’s insecure ambivalence to let go and the waiting generation’s consequent loss of self-assurance, the baton exchange is botched. No matter how well the previous lap had been run, no matter how talented the next runner may have been, the baton was dropped; the race was lost.

Does the Church have the luxury of leaving its young people and their gifts in a perpetual holding pattern, never to land? Can the Church afford to continue to mistakenly equate seniority with maturity as young people are prepared yet overlooked in the exchange zone? Will the Apostle Paul’s 1 Corinthians 12 treatise on unity in the body of Christ and the importance of each member thereof extend to a generation waiting to lead? Even a cursory glance at the state of the “Black Church” reveals an institution wrestling with its identity, struggling with being attractive while remaining authentic and grappling with the challenges and realities of a new day. Will an intensifying focus on devising better methods instead of making better men and women for the Kingdom of God cause the 21^st century Black Church to institutionally marginalize itself? God forbid – but let us earnestly wait for the day when tomorrow becomes today and the next generation carries forward the baton of leadership.

Rev. Nicholas A. Pearce serves as Associate Minister of the Apostolic Church of God in Chicago, IL and is a doctoral candidate at the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management. Contact: npearce1@alum.mit.edu

Technorati Tags: black church,black pastors,black preachers,african americans,black social commentary

Madea Wins in Hollywood

If anybody had a reason to doubt whether Tyler Perry has become one of the most bankable brands in all of movies, be skeptical no longer.

The domestic dramedy maestro's latest release, Tyler Perry's "Madea Goes to Jail," ran away with a big victory on the typically slow Academy Awards weekend, grossing a hefty $41.1 million, according to early estimates from Media by Numbers.

That opening sum is the biggest of all time for a Tyler Perry film, besting the $30 million debut of 2006's "Madea's Family Reunion." Too, it's the top bow in the history of indie studio Lionsgate, improving upon all the Tyler Perry and "Saw" flicks that came before it. The movie's per-theater average of $20,236 ranks in the top 40 for all wide openers ever.

And, no surprise, "Madea Goes to Jail" achieved all this success with a solid A CinemaScore grade from a crowd that included mostly older women. Watch Tyler Perry talk about his success »

Second place went to "Taken," which added another $11.4 million to its four-week tally, bringing said total to $95.2 million. Fellow strong holdover "Coraline" (No. 3) was next with $11 million.

"He's Just Not That Into You" (No. 4) declined a sharp 56 percent to bank $8.5 million on its third weekend. And Best Picture favorite "Slumdog Millionaire" rounded out the top five with $8.1 million -- a sum that brings its domestic total to $98 million.

Click to read.

Technorati Tags: black news,black hollywood,african american news,madea goes to jail,tyler perry

What Would Jesus Say about Black Men Living on the Downlow?

By Syreeta L. McNeal, CPA, JD

Recently, New York Knick’s basketball player, Eddy Curry, a married father of several kids, received notice of a sexual-harassment lawsuit by his former limo driver, Kuchinsky. Kuchinsky is alleging that Curry tried to solicit gay sexual activity from him while working as a 24/7 chauffer for the NBA hoop star and his family.[1] With the national press coverage of this story, I am reminded of the movie,Cover, which explored the current situation that appears to be facing many black families. Cover is a film about a devoted, churchgoing wife, and mother whose faith is shattered when she discovers that her husband is living a secret double life.[2] Also, there is a 30-minute internet movie, Results, which tackles the same type of betrayal and shows how the couple tackles it in the span of one night.[3] So, as it relates to married men who happen to cheat on their spouse on thedown low, I ask, what’s love got to do with it? I understand the question is paying tribute to the hit single by Tina Turner. However, I think people should explore the reasons why married men choose to cheat on the down low and should a wife, who takes a vow of fidelity with her husband, continue in the relationship after discovering the betrayal.

People might ask why a lawyer would write an article on a social topic such as married men who cheat on the down low. Well, a lawyer is considered an attorney and counselor at law. When a wife chooses to get a divorce due to infidelity from their husbands cheating on the down low, it is important for lawyers to understand the origin of the relationship and what caused the heartache to their client so that they can effectively provide legal advice and counseling for their client. In a majority of states, infidelity is just one factor in how marital property is divided between former married couples. Even though a wife might want her husband, who cheated on the down low, to get nothing and pay dearly for the betrayal, the courts in a majority of states will not find fault (e.g. infidelity) a determining factor in the division of marital property. Therefore, it behooves the lawyer to try other methods of counseling to explain the law to jilted married clients.

This article will analyze the meaning of love, the reasons why people get married, and what actions people should take to minimize the potential of being married to men who cheat on the down low.

Meaning of Love

Love has many meanings. Webster dictionary defines Love as a strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties (e.g. maternal love for a child).[4] Also, love is an attraction based on sexual desires (e.g. affection and tenderness felt by lovers).[5] Love is also an affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests (e.g. love for old schoolmates).[6] Also, love is a warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion (e.g. love of the sea).[7] Love can also be used as a term of endearment.[8] Love is also the unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another.[9] Love is a sexual embrace.[10] In all, love embraces a form that is erotic, romantic, familial, platonic, and religious.

Similar to Webster dictionary, Christianity embraces four forms of love: Agapē, Philia, Eros, and Storge.[11] Agapē means charitable, selfless, altruistic, and unconditional.[12] It is parental love seen as creating goodness in the world.[13] It is the way God is seen to love humanity and it is seen as the kind of love that Christians aspire to have for others.[14] Philia is defined as the human response to something that is found to be delightful.[15] Also, it is known as "brotherly love".[16] Eros is defined as sexual love.[17] Storge is defined as the needy child-to-parent love.[18]

One thing that is fascinating is the explanation of what Eros is. Eros is a very passionate love, with sensual desire and longing.[19] In the classical world, the phenomenon of love was generally understood as a kind of madness or, as the Greeks put it, theia mania ("madness from the gods").[20] This love passion is best illustrated by a scheme involving “love arrows” or “love darts.”[21] The source of the arrows is said to be the image of the beautiful love object itself.[22] If the arrows arrive at the lover’s eyes, they would then travel to and ‘pierce’ and ‘wound’ his or her heart and overwhelm him/her with desire and longing.[23] This creates an image of an “arrow’s wound” where an oxymoron of pleasure and pain is created.[24]

As illustrated above, love has different meanings. Saying “I love you” to a person can mean a variety of things. The issue for married couples who are dealing with husbands who cheat on the down low isnot whether they love their wives. The issue is what type of love does husbands who cheat on the down low have for their wives. In my opinion, this is the heart of the conflict that exists between married couples who have husbands who cheat on the down low. Next, it is important to understand why people marry.

Why People Marry

Marriage is a social, religious, spiritual or legal union of individuals.[25] People marry for many reasons, but usually they marry for one or more of the following reasons:[26]
· legal, social, and economic stability;
· the formation of a family unit;
· procreation and the education and nurturing of children;
· legitimizing sexual relations;
· public declaration of love; or
· to obtain citizenship

In almost all Protestant forms of Christianity, they hold marriage to be ordained by God for the union between a man and a woman.[27]They see the primary purpose of this union to be to glorify God by demonstrating his love to the world.[28] Other secondary purposes of marriage include intimate companionship, rearing children and mutual support for both husband and wife to fulfill their life callings.[29]

Like love, people marry for a variety of reasons. What is extremely interesting is that when protestant Christians marry their primary purpose is for the union to glorify God. One example of the betrayal for protestant Christians is when married men cheat on the down low. This action is not one that glorifies God especially when the bible states that men (or women) who practice homosexuality will not inherit the kingdom of God.[30] So, the conflict exists and men and women need to be aware of who their partners are before entering into marriage.

The Reality of the Conflict of Down Low Activity with Marriage

Some married men who cheat on the down low believe that down low activity is similar when men cheat with other women. I beg to differ. As these movies illustrate, a woman cannot compete with a man sexually. Women and men are not equal in physical form. Men and women have different sexual features and different purposes of use for these features. I equate the differences between men and women similar to placing pieces of a jigsaw puzzle together. Do like parts unite or do opposite pieces fit together?

If a married man cheats on the down low, they have a sexual attraction for another man. Sorry ladies. Physically, there is nothing you can do, except do a sex change, to sexually fulfill a man who wants to sleep with other men. A married man might love his wife, but the sexual love a wife is craving from her husband does not exist the way she wants or believes it should exist especially if this type of infidelity occurs after the coupled exchanged wedding vows to be married. There are always signs of men who have a sexual attraction for another man. However, you have to open your eyes and find out who your spouse truly is before you enter into marriage.

Attributes of Counseling Before Marriage

One way to discover whether your significant partner is ready to be married is to participate in marriage counseling. In essence, you are treating your marriage as a long term investment and gathering as much information about your spouse before you enter into marriage. As illustrated above, love has many meanings and people marry for different reasons. Just because someone says “I love you” is not all you need to know to venture into marriage. What a man and woman need to find out from each other is what type of love exists and is it reciprocally felt. If your potential spouse only feels an admiration for you and you feel romantic love for that person, then you need to find this out before you venture into marriage and not get married to the person. Also, what are the reasons why the man and woman are getting married and is it reciprocal. If your potential spouse wants to get married to obtain citizenship and you want to get married public declaration of love, then you need to find this out before you venture into marriage and not get married to this person.

Ideally, married couples expect their spouses to solely want them only. They believe their spouse will be the complement human being to help fulfill their needs mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. No one is perfect, but the union of a man and woman is expected to be one that works to perfection as seen in God’s light. When married men cheat on the down low, there is an erotic and sexual attraction for people of the same sex that their wife can’t fulfill. A potential spouse needs to know this before hand and not marry the individual especially if they seek their spouse to solely want them only.

Effective marriage counseling will be able to discover the compatibility of the couple. Marriage counseling should emphasize substance over form. The counseling should explore the type of love that exists and if it is reciprocally felt. Also, marriage counseling should explore the reasons why each person wants to marry and whether it is reciprocal. Furthermore, there is nothing wrong with doing an extensive background check on people before getting married. When you choose to marry someone, you are making a societal and private contract that this individual is someone you will honor and cherish, to have and to hold, until death do you part. With any type of long term investment, you need to know what you are getting into. This is not to say that marriages will not have problems, but if you choose someone to be married to you, you are making a long term investment in that individual expecting that the good will outweigh the bad. Know what you are getting into so you canminimize suffering betrayals like having married men cheat on the down low.

Legal Disclaimer: This site provides information about the law designed to keep readers informed of pertinent legal matters affecting the African-American community. But legal information is not the same as legal advice -- the application of law to an individual's specific circumstances. Although we go to great lengths to make sure our information is accurate and useful, we recommend you consult a lawyer in your specific location if you want professional assurance that our information, and your interpretation of it, is appropriate to your particular situation.

[1]http://www.nypost.com/seven/01132009/news/regionalnews/knick_gets_called_for_sex_foul_149982.htm
[2] http://www.coverthemovie.com/
[3] http://www.imdb.com/video/wab/vi3195994137/
[4] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Love
[5] Id.
[6] Id.
[7] Id.
[8] Id.
[9] Id.
[10] Id.
[11] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_(religious_views)
[12] Id.
[13] Id.
[14] Id.
[15] Id.
[16] Id.
[17] Id.
[18] Id.
[19] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eros_(love)
[20] Id.
[21] Id.
[22] Id.
[23] Id.
[24] Id.
[25] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage
[26] Id.
[27] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_views_of_marriage
[28] Id.
[29] Id.
[30] 1 Corinthians 6:9

Technorati Tags: black relationships,african american love,african american relationships,on the down low,black men in america,black love,black men,black women,african american men,african american women

TD Jakes: How to Fight with the Devil

Serena Williams Not Voting for Obama, or Anyone

Why Serena Williams won't vote for Barack Obama. - By Jacob Leibenluft - Slate Magazine

Serena Williams told reporters at Wimbledon on Wednesday that she's excited about Barack Obama's candidacy but won't vote for him because Jehovah's Witnesses "don't get involved in politics." Her sister Venus—who is also a Jehovah's Witness—wouldn't even comment on the presidential election. Why don't Jehovah's Witnesses vote?

Because of John 17:14 and other passages in the Bible. In that verse, Jesus says of his followers: "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world." Jehovah's Witnesses have interpreted that statement as a call to remain neutral in all political matters. (In some of the sect's literature, members are described as "representatives of God's heavenly kingdom"; they are thus obligated to stay out of local political affairs in keeping with the behavior of ambassadors.) Witnesses also refrain from serving in the military, running for public office, and pledging allegiance to the flag.

Voting is not expressly prohibited, but it is discouraged. The Watchtower, the official publication of the Jehovah's Witnesses, ran an article in 1999 suggesting that the decision whether to vote was one of personal conscience, although it carefully laid out reasons for staying out of the voting booth. In reference to countries that require all citizens to show up at the ballot box, the Watchtower has explained that "[w]here Caesar makes it compulsory for citizens to vote … [Jehovah's Witnesses] can go to the polls and enter the voting booths," but the Watchtower did not specify what Witnesses should do with the ballot itself. According to some, the requirement for political neutrality led to the violent persecution of Witnesses in Malawi during the late 1960s and early 1970s, when adherents refused to register with the ruling Congress Party.

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Visit www.YourBlackWorld.com for more Black News!

The Judgment Of God

Just hearing the statement, “the judgment of God” can strike fear in the hearts of Christians, but only because it is misunderstood.

Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” (Jn. 5:24)

And Paul said, “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1 NIV)

Both of these scriptures (and many others) make it clear that there is no condemnation, (the same Greek word translated judgement) for Christians here on earth and in the after life.

But you might say, what about the sins that I commit now? Isn’t there judgment for them? Well, those sins have been paid for by the death of Jesus. Simply receive forgiveness for them if you feel guilty and afraid.

Well, what about the sins of non-Christians? Don’t they bring God’s judgment? Yes, but the bible makes it clear that their judgment is not in this world but in the next.

The bible says, “…it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment. (Heb. 9:27)

The judgment of God comes AFTER we die, not before. (For Jesus “came not to judge the world but to save the world.”) (Jn. 12:47)

After we die, those who have accepted Christ as savior will be judged according to the perfect works and life of Christ; thus will pass from death unto eternal life. Those who have not accepted Christ as savior will be judged based upon their own imperfect works, which will not be good enough to earn them eternal life. And since they have not accepted the sacrifice of Jesus for their sins, (and all sin must be paid for) will eternally pay for them themselves. The reason it is eternal punishment is because the only payment good enough to remove sin is the Lord’s. That is why it is so vital to accept Christ’s sacrifice for our sins… NOW, in THIS world…!!! So we don’t have to pay for them in the next! (Jn. 3:16, 18, 5:24; Heb. 9:27, 1Jn. 5:11-12)

Let’s now look at what Jesus and the bible say about the judgment of God.

Jesus said, “For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son.” (Jn. 5:22)

So, first of all, we see here that the Father doesn’t judge men. He has left judgment up to the Son. And in the following scripture, we will see what Jesus does with his authority and when it is that judgment is planned for.

Jesus said, “And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” (Jn. 12:47-48)

So, even though Jesus has the authority to judge men, he will not do it. It is his word that will judge men, and then it will not be until the “last day,” that is judgment day, in the next world.

The point is this… We are not living in a time period that God is judging man. We are living in a time of grace. Jesus paid the price for all sin, so instead of judging, God is now offering salvation to all. Indeed there is a day of judgment coming, but it is not now.

Think for a moment about this. Even before Jesus went to the cross, do you remember him condemning the woman caught in adultery? If anyone would be judged for their sin, would it not be her? After all, the Law of Moses said that she should be judged and stoned. But Jesus would not condemn her; in fact he PROTECTED her from those wanting to condemn her. Then Jesus simply corrected her, telling her to go and sin no more. This he did despite not having died for sin yet and the fact that the Jews were still under the law, not grace. (Jn. 8:1-11)

Now consider this passage:

“And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.
And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.
And when his disciples James and John saw this they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?
But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.” (Lk. 9:51-56)

Wow! If they didn’t know what manner of spirit they were of, just what “manner of spirit” were they of? It was not the spirit of God, or of Jesus, because Jesus rebuked them for it… “For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”

Despite all of this, I know that many people believe that certain disasters that occur here on earth are “the judgment of God,” or the “hand of God at work,” so let’s look at one of them. And that is destructive weather. There are a lot of people that think destructive weather is God “at work” in people’s lives or that he is judging man. However, neither is true.

God does not control the weather any more than he controls man, (unless he does it through a man, as he did through Jesus when he calmed the storm) (Mt. 8:23-26) Weather patterns have a “life” of their own, and along with all of creation were affected adversely by the sin of man. No longer do they act as God had intended. And because of the laws of nature, when certain atmospheric conditions interact with other conditions, we have certain kinds of weather. And some of it can be destructive, even deadly. (Gen. 3:17-19 Rom. 8:19-22)

It was the fall of man that gave rise to destructive storms, not God. And it is not God who initiates or “uses” these forces to deal with man now. In fact, Jesus came to “destroy the works of the devil,” not to use them. (1Jn. 3:8) If we want to control these weather patterns and these destructive storms, we can calm them just as Jesus did. “WE” can keep them from destroying us because Jesus said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also…” (Jn. 14:12)

Besides, we are not under the Old Covenant. We are under a New Covenant. (It is not that God was different in the Old Testament, but the covenant he had with man was different.) In the Old Testament, Jesus had not yet paid the price for sin, and man was under a covenant of law, which was a covenant of condemnation and death. (2 Cor. 3:6-9) But in the New Testament, man is under a covenant of life and grace, where Jesus paid the price for man’s sin, averting man’s judgment until after we die. (2Cor. 5:19, Heb. 8:6-13) Again, the point is that we are not in a time period where God is judging man, by destructive storms or by any other means. Judgment comes at the end of time.

Well then, if the bible teaches that Jesus came not to destroy but to save, and that he does not use natural destructive forces to deal with man, (even those that reject him and his word) then where do these things come from and what is their purpose?

It will be in my next article that I will touch on answers to these questions, but in order to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of this topic, you can read my book, "Suffering (God’s Will?)" In it I thoroughly cover this subject, supporting what I say with many biblical references. And along with a full study of suffering, you will be able to read a chapter on God’s Correction and Judgment and on the book of Job and how each has been traditionally misunderstood.

Submitted by John B. Agati
Author of : “Suffering (God’s Will?)”

More information about this and an upcoming book “Suffering, Unanswered Prayer, (And How to Fix the Whole Thing),” along with a short bio may be found at: www. jbagati.com

IN ARM'S REACH

“Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead. ”—Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), novelist (http://www.forbetterlife.org/)

There it was, plump and waddling around my front yard in plain sight. I glanced at it as I ran towards my car in a dash for my morning commute. I commented to myself that that seemed odd that normally when you approach a bird; it flutters away quickly -but not this little creature. Instead it reminded me of a toddler amiably moving around with no real destination, just glad to be moving, delighted with its new found freedom ,walking and stumbling with out the assistance of an eagle eye parent.

Then when I returned home, I noticed again the same little chick hopping around on the bricks. It wasn’t until the very next day that as I walked once again down my driveway to jump in my parked car that I glanced at the bird and then it occurred to me this was our baby-I was sure of it. As my husband stood in the doorway I called back, “Hey that’s our baby bird!” Several days prior to that I hadn’t really grasped that this was really a gift from God-in arm’s length!
As I reflect back, first it was the discovery of the beautiful Robin’s eggs displayed in the nest in our backyard-but now this was even better-the eggs had hatched and the dream, the long awaited arrival of the chicks had occurred and I had been totally oblivious of their birth and this divine wonder-well almost.

It’s no happen stance that today’s inspirational quote would tug on my heart strings and remain etched in my memory. As I read Exodus 17 and could picture the travelers weary and grumbling, Louise May Alcott’s words must have mirrored the sentiment of Moses. to look up and live, instead of looking out and grumbling.

“Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them, and try to follow where they lead. ”
—Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888), novelist (http://www.forbetterlife.org/)

Often I too have been guilty of being oblivious of many of life’s lessons until well after the situation had concluded and the smoke cleared. I regret not embracing the gift of God’s grace (more) readily and honestly appreciating the (particular) trial, the (uninvited) circumstance, the(embarrassing) difficulty, the (long awaited and timely) blessing, the (tough) learning experience-whatever you wish to call it more sooner than later.

What might have happened had I been appreciative of the learning experience in the midst of it all? This must be what folks mean when they say; we should thank God while we are “going through” being pulled and shaped on the potter’s wheel during our uncomfortable valley experiences!

Be assured that we are all experts about trials, but I’d like to think that God wants us to be cognizant on this day-that so many gifts from God/blessings are in our midst, yes, right there before us! Theses blessings are like my baby chick –visible- and in arms reach, in direct view. I am sure that the Holy Spirit is sharing that with our new mind set we’ll negate our obstructed view and won’t loose sight of the divine gift that is presented to us.

I think you’ll agree that when the truth is told, we’re audibly or inaudibly caught up in our grumbling, sulking, hurting, rushing and consequently we fail to appreciate the beauty of the moment. Do you recall my bird’s nest in Expectant Joy? Well, I really appreciated the gift of the bird’s nest that was so symbolic for me. It represented so much: birth, new beginnings, expectant joy, blessings on the way, the good that was on the horizon, God’s gift’s and promises to come and on and on-but then even with that epiphany I missed it!

Yes, I needed to believe-get my faith in gear and mentally grasp the next level! What might that be you ask? I am glad you asked I believe the answer is: That God really had intended that my joy and yours evolve and spill over into something greater and erupt into our paying attention to all the blessings which are in arm's reach!!

Did I really think that I‘d behold the blessings in my own front yard? Nope! I almost missed that wonder.

Take some time and read Exodus 17, I expect that you’ll appreciate your wilderness experiences all the more and like Moses acknowledge God’s provision of resources, support and favor designed especially for the faint of heart and the weary traveler.

So, friends look outside your tents, go on and pull back your curtains, better yet stand in your front yards and behold what blessings are in your arm's reach!!! Have a wonderful day!

I will meet you by the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and the water will come pouring out. then the people will be able to drink.” Moses did just as he was told;and as the leaders looked on water gushed out.” Exodus 17:6 (NLT)

Joyfully Submitted by:

Linda Mose Meadows, author

The Blessedness of Believing A Devotional Journey of Life’s Lesson’s and God’s Promises

Enjoy other writings Click on Blessed Chronicles

http://blessednessofbelieving.blogspot.com/

House of Yahweh Leaders' Doomsday Prediction Didn't Happen

It appears that "Buffalo Bill" Hawkins, founder of the House of Yahweh, wasn't correct in his prediction that the world was going to end on June 12. It's now June 13th at 1:18 am, so I guess his prediction of a nuclear holocaust that has persuaded many members of his cult to empty their bank accounts (giving money to him of course) is not going to happen.

Here is an excerpt of some of Hawkins' words:

'...Nuclear war will begin next Thursday, June 12, or sooner, according to the latest prediction of self-proclaimed prophet Yisrayl "Buffalo Bill" Hawkins, the founder of a religious sect in Abilene, Texas.

"It could be turned loose before then," Hawkins told 20/20 for a report to be broadcast tonight. "You're going to see this very soon, really soon," he said.

Hundreds of truck trailers have been loaded with food and water on the group's 44-acre compound, in preparation for the coming war...'

Hawkins is an interesting character. In the 20/20 special, he had all of his followers change their name to Hawkins. He was also recently arrested for a series of allegations, including polygamy. Sounds like the same old stuff. Hawkins does have that "Jim Jones" charisma, so you can see how his followers were fooled.

Here is a story on Hawkins.

The Key To Christianity

The key to Christianity is receiving. It is not giving and it is not doing.

Giving and doing is secondary and will flow out of our receiving.

The truth is; we can’t even become Christians without receiving. Christ must be received as savior in order to become a Christian. And the reason for this is simply because we need him and the salvation that he has for us. We cannot produce it ourselves.

And it is no different after we have accepted Christ as savior. In order to have what we lack, we must receive it from God.

The bible says that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights…” they come from God. They do not come from us. (Jas. 1:17)

And unless we receive what we need from God, we will not have anything from God to give… How can we forgive like God forgives if we have not received his forgiveness; and how can we love like God loves if we have not received God’s love? And how can we have finances and goods from God to give, unless we first receive them from God. If we do not receive God’s blessings, we will not have God’s blessings to give.

For those of you who are familiar with the story of the prodigal son, think for a moment of the elder brother, the one who stayed at home while his younger brother was in the world wasting his inheritance in sinful living. It turned out that this elder brother, (though loyal and committed) thought his life was about his work and serving his father, never knowing or taking advantage of his father’s provision. And because he did not know or receive his father’s goodness and blessings and love for himself, he had no love to give when his younger brother repentantly came home. He was resentful and bitter when his father received the wayward boy with joy and forgiveness, and when he put a robe on his back, a ring on his finger, and honored him with a great feast. The elder brother simply did not have the same love to give as the father had because he had never received it for himself.

And do you think this elder brother’s lack of understanding may have contributed to the younger brother leaving home in the first place? As the younger brother looked up to his older brother, (as younger brothers will do) he may have seen that his older brother was unfulfilled and bitter. Maybe the boy wanted no part of that kind of life. Why would he? He then mistakenly went into the world to get what he thought he could not get at home, only to find that this type of getting was destructive to his life and his substance.

How many of our children choose to live in the world and in sin because all they see is that Christianity is about serving and doing and demands? Ouch! (Lk. 15:11-32)

Christianity is about God and what he has done for us through Christ. It is not about what we can do for God. When Christianity becomes about what we can do for God, it then becomes about us and what WE do, not about God and what HE does. It becomes “self” centered and “self” righteousness, not God centered, not fulfilling and not loving. We then can become as the elder brother in this story became; dry, bitter, and law oriented.

But the enemy wants us to believe that receiving is selfish and that all Christianity is about is serving and doing and giving. He wants to drain us, make us miserable, self-righteous, bitter, unfulfilled and unable to bless the world. And he wants God to look like a demanding God who always “wants” something from us, rather than be the giver and blesser that he is.

But an attitude of receiving is NOT selfishness. It is in reality selflessness. It is thinking of God who wants to bless us. And it is thinking of Jesus, who suffered and died so we could be blessed, and it is thinking of those around us who need what we receive from God. And, yes, it is thinking about ourselves, but not in a selfish way. As I will explain receiving from God is how we are to love ourselves.

Jesus commanded us to love others as we love ourselves. We cannot love others unless we first love ourselves. And the way we love ourselves is to let God love us. For example, it is the best kind of self love when we receive Jesus and the forgiveness he offers us!

The truth is that God just loves us and wants to bless us and be a part of our lives. That is all he ever wanted. And he knows that if we receive from him, we will have “him” to give. And if we don’t, we won’t. Receiving from God is not selfishness. It is just the opposite.

When Jesus came to Peter to wash his feet, Peter said, “Thou shalt never wash my feet.” But Jesus answered him saying, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.”

Peter had it all backwards. He thought humility was to not let Jesus wash his feet, but that was actually pride and it was arrogance. Can you imagine telling Jesus no to what he wanted to do, as if Jesus was making a mistake? But Peter quickly corrected himself saying, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head.” True humility is to let God wash our feet. And if we don’t allow God to wash our feet and to serve us, we will not have any part with him. Yes, it takes humility to let God serve us, but that’s what it takes. (Jn. 13:8-9)

Think for a moment about the relationship of children and their fathers. Do children think it is their responsibility to meet their father’s needs? How can they? They rightfully expect the father to meet theirs, and a good father takes great pleasure in pouring his love and blessings and gifts on his children. Of course he wants them to be responsible and generous with what they have, but first and foremost he wants to bless them. And it is no different with God and his children.

God spoke through John the apostle when he said, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.” In other words, as much as God wants our souls to prosper is as much as he wants every part of our lives to prosper, (and above ALL things). That means that before anything else he wants to bless his children. That is first on a good father’s heart and it is first on God’s. (3Jn2)

Putting God first in our lives does not mean serving him. It means receiving from him.

And love is not about our loving God, it is about God loving us. Again St. John said, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loves us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1Jn. 4:10)

God is the greatest giver of all. And the only way to be part of him is to become a receiver. Without receiving from God, we’ll have nothing of God for ourselves or for the world, nor will the world be able to see what God is really like.

The key to Christianity is receiving!

One last point here… Things are simply different in the New Testament than they were in the Old. Jesus came to change them and he did. Whereas the Old Testament laid out the law and what man was required to do for God, (and was only given to prove that we could not do them) the New Testament is about grace and what God has done for us through Jesus. And the only way to enter into God’s grace and to have what we cannot produce ourselves is to receive.

Let’s let God be God and live a life of receiving from him as our God. It is what God always wanted for us and always will. He is a good Father and wants to pour his life and his blessings on us, and he has done so through his Son. And it is in receiving from him that we will be filled with all he is and all he has and then can be a blessing to the world around us.

The truth is; what goes in will come out, but nothing in, nothing out.

And don’t worry; God will never run out and neither will we if we live a life of receiving from him!

Submitted by John B. Agati
Author of : “Suffering (God’s Will?)”

More information about this and an upcoming book “Suffering, Unanswered Prayer, (And How to Fix the Whole Thing),” along with a short bio may be found at: www. jbagati.com

Each Day!!!!

Each and every day that we wake up is a true gift from God. It wasn't guaranteed that we'd see another day.

I think that we tend to take this for granted. We wake up, rush in the morning, & mainly head out the door. Do we stop and say a simple "Thanks" to God just for opening our eyes? Do we pray for travelling mercies? Are we truly grateful???

Slow down and see what God wants you to see in the midst of the new day arising. There may be something so simple that you're supposed to take in and grow from.

Thank you God for allowing me to see another day!!!

Psalm 118:24 This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

photo from: greenvilledailyphoto.com

Thank You God For The Audacity of Hope

I watched and enjoyed Barack Obama's 2004 Democratic National Convention speech. The speech titled "The Audacity of Hope" was electrifying and gave Americans especially black Americans glimmers of hope. Those hopes include the possibility that Obama a black man might one day win, The Presidency, the highest office in the land.

I have been urging people to endorse Obama since his historic victory in Iowa. I was so excited about Ted Kennedy's endorsement of Senator Obama on Monday, January 28, 2008. Listening to the speeches of Obama and all of the Kennedy clan gave me great joy and hope.

(Thank you Senator Kennedy. May God continue to shower you with his grace and mercy during your current trial)

Hope that we will continue to seek God's face and that God will heal our land. Hope that we will come together as a one nation united under God. Hope that Obama will win the nomination of the Democratic Party and hope that he will become the next President of the United States of America.

Today, June 3, 2008, as a fifty-four year old black woman I hope that this man Obama time has come, that his time is now! Today I have the audacity to hope, pray, and believe that Senator Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States of America.

Vera Richardson is the author of “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined." http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?r=1&EAN=9780615177014

Praying and Waiting with Expectation

One thing I've learned (and am continuing to learn) is to pray and to wait with expectation. I mean, many of us do pray out of habit and wonder why things aren't coming to pass. However, do we pray expecting that big thing or that event to occur or are we praying with "hope"?

Hebrews 11:1 & 6 states: 1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 6But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Faith and prayer, prayer and faith; the 2 go hand and hand.

What are your expectations? What are you seeking? God already knows, He just wants to know that your faith and expectations are in line with what He can do!

photo from: imses on www.flickr.com

EXPECTANT JOY!

Photography by Richard D. Meadows, Jr.

Commit your way to the Lord,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
Psalm 37:5

This was a real joy, seeing first hand this beautiful bird's nest with turquoise colored eggs in our backyard. My husband announced with joy, "We have a bird's nest in our yard that you need to see!" I said,"Ok show me, let's get the camera!"

He said in jest, "Ok at your own risk, don't be surprised if you get your eyes pecked out!" He reminded me that after we take the picture to be sure to cover the nest with the branch, he's orginally cut down, not knowing what lay underneathe. My husband pointed out that the bird is guarding the nest from predators.

Earlier that afternoon, Ricky had been busily working in our yard, mowing the lawn, cutting down bushes and clearing debris of leaves and branches. My husband said initally he ignored the bird's loud chirpping. But then wondered why a bird suddenly began acting erratic with his flight pattern.

Ricky then discerned that there was something that he stumbled upon that the bird obviously wanted him to leave alone. There it was an amazing creation, the bird's nest woven intricatley together with pieces of blue plastic strips, branches, sticks and whatever else the bird had selected from nature to create this sturdy nest. Not only did it appear sturdy, but it was a masterpiece, it's beautiful! I am so glad I could share the phot0 with you. Imagine the time and energy this small bird devoted to creating the nest? He or she conceived in it's mind the nest and then got to work making this idea a reality! The bird or maybe several birds collectively were devoted to creating a sturdy nest to lay these eggs. They are anticipating the arrival of their creation.

Friends this is really another gift from God, encouraging us to do the same, to use the birds as a model to conceive in our minds what we endeavor to accomplish:

What are dreaming of?
What is your heart's desire?
What has God commissioned you to birth?

Well, breathe deeply and take heart! I am confident that God desires that you to get busy not only dreaming, but creating an action plan to realize it! Pray about the direction, ask Him to guide your steps and when the doors open and opportunities present themselves, trust that you are on your way to the realization of your heart's desire. It's on the way! Tell your self, " it's on the way!! " Your dream(s) can come to pass. Guard it, believe in it and see it done-it's sacred.

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Thank you precious Holy Ghost for encouraging our hearts not to be timid about executing the plan that God has given us. We are active and alive and grateful that when we follow your lead and trust You, the plans, and the dreams you placed in our hearts will wonderfully unfold right before your eyes. So we will believe and choose to celebrate now with expectant joy the gift of a dream come true!! Amen!

Friends, I pray you'll be encouraged as you marvel at the beauty of nature and carry the gift of an expectant joy in your hearts.

Joyfully Submitted by:
Linda Mose Meadows, author
The Blessedness of Believing A Devotional Journey of Life's Lessons and God's Promises
http://blessednessofbelieving.blogspot.com/

The Democratic Party Can't Wait Until May 31, 2008

The Democratic Party is bigger than Bill and Hillary Clinton. The Democratic Party has given Hillary more than enough time to gracefully bow out of this race. She not only refuses to leave the race but she is dividing and not “unifying” our party.

Months ago on FOX news Hillary announced her intentions to take her impossible fight for the Democratic nomination all the way to the convention. After Hillary followed Obama to Florida she stated again that she is willing to take her fight for the Florida and Michigan delegates to the floor of "our" convention.

Senator Clinton is demanding that she receive all of the delegates from the Michigan primary election. This fact is evident that she doesn’t have any intentions of achieving a fair settlement of Florida and Michigan primaries or ending her fight for the nomination.

There is no doubt in my mind that Hillary will reject any resolution proposed by the DNC on May 31, 2008. Bill and Hillary will not only reject the resolution but also seek court intervention. Therefore, the only way to prevent the total destruction of our party is for the undeclared superdelegates to end Hillary's blind ambition for to become President.

Senator Obama played by the rules and won this race fair and square. He won more state elections and most importantly more pledged delegates than Hillary. Obama needs to reach the current 2025 or 2026 number of delegates needed to secure the nomination before Bill and Hillary Clinton file their legal challenges in court and/or Hillary executes her planned nuclear option.

You can't wait. Democratic Party leader and undeclared superdelegates must pledge their support for Senator Obama before May 31, 2008. Senator Reid, Representatives Nancy Pelosi, and Shelia Jackson-Lee, Governor Edward G. Rendell, Donna Brazile, President Carter, and Al Gore PLEASE endorse Senator Obama today and unite this party. The urgency is now.

Again, I say you can’t wait until May 31, 2008. Democratic Party leaders please don't wait until May 31, 2008, or for the primaries to end on June 3, 2008, to declare that Senator Barack Obama is the Democratic Presidential nominee. The urgency is right now!!!!!!!

Vera Richardson is the author of “A Case of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Real or Imagined.”http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?ISBN=9780615177014

Prayer Is Not The Answer?

I know that this may not sound right to you, but prayer is not the answer.

Jesus never said that it would be done unto you according to your prayer. What he did say was that it would be done unto you according to your faith. (Mt. 8:13, 9:29, Mk. 11:22-24)

What he said was, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mk. 11:24 NIV)

Without faith, (believing that you have received the answer to your prayer) prayer just won’t work. In fact, faith is the part of the process that makes prayer work. Without faith, you can pray and pray and pray, even for years upon years and get little or no results at all. It will be like trying to turn on a light without flipping the switch. You will not connect to the power and it just won’t work.

You may say, well, if God wants to answer your prayer he will. But Jesus never said that it would be done unto you according to God’s will. He said that it would be done unto you according to your faith. You will ultimately get what you believe for.

With all due respect, most people seem to pray and hope that they get an answer. Unfortunately, that is not what Jesus said must done for prayer to be answered and it will not work. A bit strong here, but when you think that you might receive an answer to your prayer or might not; or thinking maybe it’s God’s will, or maybe its not is called in the bible to be wavering and being double minded, and the book of James says that a double minded man will not receive anything of the Lord. (Jas. 1:5-8)

(Another thing that the bible does not say anywhere is that God has three answers to prayer; yes, no, or wait)… So let’s take a look again at what Jesus said about prayer answers.

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mk. 11:24 NIV) Period. If we do what Jesus said, we will have the answers to our prayers, if we don’t we won’t.

It is vital to notice however, that when Jesus talks about believing here, he is talking in the past tense. He said “believe that you have received it (already) and then it will be yours.” Bible faith dictates that you believe that you have what you asked for before it actually comes to pass. And according to the Lord, that is the kind of faith that will bring answered prayer. And though this process may seem odd to the natural mind; that is how prayer works.

Let’s take for an example, Abraham, (who is the “father of faith”) and see how he received the miracle of a child when he and his wife were beyond child bearing years.

When God changed his name from Abram, (exalted father) to Abraham, (father of many nations) he was about one hundred years old, childless, and his body and the womb of his wife were “dead” and past being able to have children. Yet Abram accepted the name change and the promise of a child as if it were already so in his life. He simply understood “God’s” kind of faith and believed that he received the child long before the child was born… Like God, he “called things that were not as though they were.” (Rom. 4:17-21)

This is the kind of faith that Jesus taught about and the kind of faith that brings results. And we all know what this kind of faith did for Abraham. He received the miracle he believed he had.

Let’s look at why this works.

Everything in God’s kingdom is governed by laws. Consider first the natural world. Electricity, flight, physics, biology, mechanics, mathematics etc. etc. are all governed by laws. And since the bible says that we can see the spiritual in the natural, we can know that the spiritual world is governed by God’s laws as well. (Rom. 1:20) And this is exactly how Jesus taught. Again and again he used earthly illustrations to describe spiritual things and always compared spiritual law to natural law. And as we have read from his words, he taught how prayer is governed by God’s law; faith being the law that must be applied in order to get results.

The bible says that faith is a law. And because faith is a law we can be sure it will work if we apply it properly. (Rom. 3:27) Jesus confirmed that because he always got results when he prayed. And he always got them immediately. You may say that that is because he was Jesus, but if we have accepted the Lord as our savior, we are created in his image and have available to us exactly what he had. Jesus said, "he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it."(Jn. 14:12-14) Wow!

Now, if we compare the power of prayer to the power of electricity, we know that the power of electricity was always available to man, yet mankind was not able to take advantage of its vast potential until he learned about the laws that governed it. Likewise, the power and potential of prayer has always been available, (Jesus proved that) yet without the knowledge of the laws that govern prayer and the proper application of those laws, results will not be seen.

The Old Testament prophet Hosea said that “my people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge.” (Hos. 4:6) And so it is with unanswered prayer. Lack of knowledge of how prayer works will always result in a lack of prayer answers. And the thing is; Jesus never had the problem of unanswered prayer, and neither should we.

The only problem I think we have with all of this is that we begin to realize that answers to prayer are “our” responsibility (as much as they are God’s). But our responsibility they are. It is our responsibility to believe, and then it is the Lord’s responsibility to perform, and as we can see in the bible, he wants to answer our prayers and he will… if we believe.

“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” (Mt.21:21)

My first book, “Suffering (God’s Will?) biblically establishes God’s willingness to answer prayer, to deliver us from evil and to protect us from harm.

My upcoming book, “Suffering, Unanswered Prayer, (and How to Fix the Whole Thing)” is the follow up book, and is a practical guide to the laws of prayer and explains how to apply them in order to get the results promised by the bible.

For those of you who are hungry to know or who are desperate for answered prayer or seeking the reality, truth, and results that the bible promises, these books will be a great help to you. Look for the first book and the upcoming second on my website.

Submitted by John B. Agati
Author of : “Suffering, (God’s Will?)”

More information about this and an upcoming book “Suffering, Unanswered Prayer, (And How to Fix the Whole Thing),” along with a short bio may be found at: www. jbagati.com