Proverbs 10:21

Jim Crow 08

Kwesi — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 01:50:00 -0400

I went to the polls yesterday, caught in the frenzy of Super Tuesday. I ran into a friend of mine, and could barely focus because I was a bit torn as to who I should vote for-Obama or Huckabee.

I finally voted for Obama, but when I left the polls I felt violated. I remember hearing and reading stories about the turmoil African-Americans faced at polls in the south, and I almost felt like that. The lady that checked my name assumed that I was voting Democratic, so she handed me a slip that said so without asking me. When I was finished voting the lady in front of me had her ballot taken from some old man, who then looked at what she voted, and said," good job young lady." I was undone. I went to the next guy and put my own ballot into the machine. Everyone that I talked to said the situation should have been reported.

In the midst of the excitement it appears as though the country is still so divided. People of faith are still seperate and loving it. People of faith are still hesitant to deal with those of other ethnicities. What I saw was almost a reverse Jim Crow. It looked like African-Americans were creating anxiety at the polls. They were not opposing the vote, but were causing anxiety to those that could vote different than the norm. When will our belief in God become our lifestyle? A person lifestyle can not be put down, even during voting. Selah Shalom

Should Christians be troubled over a potential recession?

lance — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 03:52:00 -0400

Take a moment to reflect back over the past 5 to 6 years of your life. Were there ever times when you could barely make ends meet, then after the met they lost each other again? Do you still have some of the same debt? Chances are you were experiencing hard-times and it was not even a recession. Having said that, the answer to my own question is no. If in fact you have been experiencing these problems before, a recession is not at the root of the problem; it is poor stewardship.

I believe that many Christians become overwhelmed with our nation's politics. Ecclesiastes says that money answereth all things. The lack of it means there are some questions with no answers; a better translation.....bills unpaid.

It comes down to an individual's faith. The government as we know it can not provide peace, tranquility, equality, and justice. God is the author of these good things, and enjoys showering his people with them. He planted us in time, in governments, only to tell us that his government was to be sought first.

Stop watching shows that cause you to stop practicing the principles of God's kingdom. Stop listening to people that are experts, when they contradict the principles. The timeless truthes will never fail.

Shalom

The future of the Christian walk

Kwesi — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 01:58:00 -0400

Philip Yancey said," It occurs to me that all the contorted theories about Jesus that have been spontaneously generating since the day of his death merely confirm the awesome risk God took when he stretched himself out on the dissection table--a risk he seemed to welcome. Examine me. Test me. You decide." I believe that Yancey's words represent the future of the Christian walk. 1 Peter 3:15 says, that the believer is to always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is in them. There is a large majority of the Christian church that is completely lethargic concerning why they are Christians. Questions that are seemingly complex, go unanswered because of a misappropriation of power. Instead of being hungry for the knowledge of Christianity in it's totality, B.C. And A.D., many stop at the gifts and calls. The reason the muslims, atheist, and buddhist are more knowledgable of Christian history is because they study our faith with the intent of finding contradictions. What God is saying is study to show thyself approved. Studying transcends merely reading.

Shalom

Don't ever lose hope!

Kwesi — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 02:27:00 -0400

The Souls of Black Folks, written by W.E.B. DuBois, was one of the better, if not the best study of the history and state of African-Americans, both pre and post emancipation. The chapter that appeals most to me is chapter ten entitled, "Of the faith of our fathers." In this chapter he discusses the power of those African-Americans that were clergy, and also how the Negro had to live a double life as an American. Conscious of his impotence, and pessimistic, he often becomes bitter and vindictive; and his religion, instead of a worship, is complaint and a curse, a wail rather than a hope, a sneer rather than a faith (SOBF pg.142). He was responding to the pessimism and wailing that he witnessed, which makes his words more credible.

What I submit unto you is that we can never lose hope. The foundation in the practices of Christianity caused there to be a misunderstanding of dispensations, and so when emancipation came, the people thought the need for God had ended, and that they could go back to the paganism from which they had come. Such seems to be the case with humanity today, and not just African-Americans; somehow after we have achieved, the need for God seemingly diminishes....at least for a short time. We will always need God; we are nothing without him; we can never lose site of the big picture. Never lose hope! Hope maketh not ashamed!

Shalom

Azusa to Bigotry

Kwesi — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 02:18:00 -0400

It is a fact that here in America, the sermons preached to slaves were highly regulated and filtered before they were ever delivered. The preachers would preach adherence to authority and submisseveness to the master. There was seperation. Many churches divided over the issue of slavery. So now that slavery has ended and the holy ghost has fallen, why is there still seperation? From the Azusa Street Crusade many denominations were birthed. Men went back and started denominations that preached bigotry and Social Darwinism. So did they miss it? It meaning the Holy Ghost.

Shalom

Literacy

Kwesi — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 04:31:00 -0400

I will not bore you with the statistics on literacy in American culture; however I will say that there needs to be more emphasis placed on reading. Let us delve into this problem and how it is effecting our Christian walk.

If a person is not able to understand simple punctuation use, then reading words is futile. How then can a person truly understand the word of God without proper reading skills? Let us be realistic; most adults do not read on a level that is parallel to their age. I have noticed a trend in preaching; many preachers preach sermons based on knowledge acquired ages ago. What's the problem you ask? Well the problem that often exists is that those old interpretations are wrong. The statements that they use are true.......if they are used as independent statements. We must be careful that we are not stacking years of common knowledge on top of truth, then calling it all together-truth.

Shalom

Exegetical Malpractice

Kwesi — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 01:17:00 -0400

I must first say that I am not to be given credit for this phrase and ideology; nevertheless I will introduce it to the people that are not familiar with it.

Traditionally we praise our leadership so much, that we begin to take their word as golden or as the Gospel. It often gets to the point where people will not actually study scriptures for themselves, but go and regurgitate exactly what their leaders say. I am not suggesting that we not obey our leaders; I am however suggesting that we study to show ourselves approved.

Exegetical malpractice is referring to improper interpretation of the scriptures; poor mishandling of scriptures. These mishandlings are often done purposely, that the preacher can maintain a level of artistry in their delivery.

Many scriptures are butchered out of poor literacy. Other preachers stick to a traditional idea or philosophy that has been dictated by their denominations.

If you think that this is worthy of conversation....speak on it.

Shalom

What's in a name?

lance — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 01:37:00 -0400

There are a number of charismatic people that will shout themselves into a frenzy answering this question. The first name they think about is Jesus. Then they roll off the fact that demons tremble and bow at the name of Jesus. But given our tendency as humans to deify people, one would think that people in and of themselves are truly, as the poem Invictus would suggest, the captains of their souls.

On this issue about names and titles I am often confused. The last decade showed a rise in Apostles, yet many of them never planted a church. We saw the rise of Bishop; people proclaimed themselves to be bishops yet had not one church to oversee. There was a rise in the number of people proclaiming to be prophets, some legitimate, others simply fulfilling the scriptures concerning the rise of false prophets.

So what is it with this seemingly sudden rise in the need for validation through a name.....a title?

Shalom

Social Darwinism

Kwesi — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 02:14:00 -0400

"Survival of the fittest" is the best way that many summed up the theory of Social Darwinism. Charles Darwin was the first to extensively study and give any type of validity to the idea of evolution. Then English philosopher Herbert Spencer merged the idea of evolution with humanity.

Historically it was the British that used this as one of their reasons behind their obsession with imperialism. One poem titled "white man's burden" expressed the way the British viewed their role as the saviours of Africans. How many people are still subjugating helpless people because they have convinced themselves that they are helping? Is the theory of Social Darwinism completely erroneous?

Shalom

Faith vs Ethnicity

Kwesi — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 02:09:00 -0400

If we were to poll a number of American citizens, I believe that many would agree that there has been a change in politics over the course of time. The methods by which people seek votes has become very messy at times. Now more than ever people are using their faith as their validation.

Election 2008 is no different; there are at least two candidates that are very vocal about the religious preference, and I believe they have done so to validate or provide credibility to themselves.

So how should African-Americans vote? Obama is against teacher led prayer in school and is for pro-choice versus pro-life. Is the church for pro-choice or pro-life? In election 2004 Christians voted for Bush, I think because he boldly stated that he was against granting homosexuals the right to legally marry. So are African-Americans supposed to vote to create history? Should African-Americans have an allegiance to another African-American? Shalom

Shalom

Myspace friend list

Kwesi — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 00:48:00 -0400

There is this tendency for young Christians to hide their salvation, and I think sites such as myspace provide just the right atmosphere. Why is it that people want to hide?

I have to use myself for an example; I was a low-key Christian. When I reflect back to the first few days after giving my life to God, I see a person that was proud to be saved but in possession of a level of fear. I feared being challenged about my faith, so I was reserved. I had chatrooms that I would go into, when the craze first hit, where I would not put my name. I would defend the gospel and challenge secret societies fearlessly, that is, as an anonymous person.

Today I recognize Christianity as a lifestyle; it's who I am by choice, God's choice. The shear fact that I do not respond to certain things, go certain places, and tolerate certain things, speaks volumes about who I am.

Sites like myspace, facebook, and all the others should not be occasions for people that live a holy lifestyle to turn their backs on God. If we are to compel others to come, we must represent the Kingdom of God with the spirit of excellence.

Shalom

What about your friends?

Kwesi — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 02:12:00 -0400

It seems like it is so hard to trust people these days. If you watch shows like Maury, Springer, or any others, the impression is that there are a lot of people claiming to be friends that are sleeping with the others mate. Then if you are like me, it is already a challenge trying to keep up with the friends you have.

Nevertheless, I see some pretty strange relationships in the present generation. I mentioned some of the situations earlier: sleeping with each others mates, fighting each other, slandering each other, and just not being availabe to help one another. I know the Bible talks about the love of men growing wax cold in Matthew 24:12. The reason that this passage gives for this is that iniquity would abound. Is it possible to be a real friend without the love of God abounding in one's heart?

Shalom

Same Denomination Marrying

Kwesi — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 01:49:00 -0400

When I gave my life to God 14 years ago, people were pressing me to get married. I think the old church (early pentecostal church) wanted to help new saved singles avoid sexual immorality by doing more than praying. The saints just wanted you to find someone in that church to marry. It was hard for me because the choices were not so pleasant to the eye. Some of the choices had a little extra baggage....a ready made family.

Despite the pressure to marry within the house, I ventured to other denominations. At times there were conflicts stemming from biblical interpretation, but generally the differences came down to interpretations. Many times there were not issues that pertained to salvation, but again, interpretation.

So should these differences in intepretation seperate two people that love each other? Could the difference in opinion pertaining to Sabbath worship, baptismal formula, and/or eternal security, cause a conflict between two potential lovers?

Shalom

Internet Dating

Kwesi — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 01:17:00 -0400

One glimpse at the dating scene makes me praise God that I do not have to deal with it anymore. Some people spend a lot of time hitting, missing, getting to know, and all of the above.

The church has been very clear in its unity, pertaining to Proverbs 18:22; men should be doing the pursuing. The parameters are still questionable. The Bible does not talk about meeting people in chatrooms; so what is the verdict? There are many that would call internet hook-ups...desperation. The other argument is that the people are just adjusting to the times. Is there anything negative about internet dating?

Shalom

The Availability of the church finance report

Kwesi — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 01:19:00 -0400

Here again I speak out of experience on these matters. I have been apart of ministries that willfully provide in-depth church financial reports upon request. We have to understand that money and finance are an active part of ministry. It's amazing how the secular world becomes intoxicated by talks of finance in church, but never once have I heard of free power bills. As long as the church exist, the need for finance will exist. And since the love of money is the root of all evil, then we should understand why some preachers refuse to grant access into church finance. Some preachers become offended by the fact that members question account status. Do these preachers have a right to be upset?

Shalom