08' New beginnings? I was just as eager this time last year and almost at this "state of mind," in addition to heightned optimism.....and this year still had its ups and downs, and unscripted events...however, I can say, I'm a year older and a year wiser, and I know God a little more for myself....which is my prayer every year and that is the purpose for those ups and downs. At the end of 2008 (Lord willing) I pray that I will come again at a point of reflection praising Him...and knowing him a little more for myself.....
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Happy New Year
The following excerpt from a past reflection. (sums it up perfectly...) praising Him forever more....
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
From A Talk that Didn't Happen...Challenged myself.
I was reminded this weekend of this talk. I was thinking in the shower how I must become more intentional and proactive toward proclaiming the good news because I live in a bubble. I work at a Christian school where the staff are believers, I attend seminary, church is my life (community, ministry, involvement) etc. It's more than just proclaiming him on social networks. I live in a lost world, I must GO out even more because of my context. It hasn't always been like this and I could engage my unbelieving brother or sister more fluidly but now I feel challenged even more.
Below is from a 'talk' that I had to do, that I ended up not doing because it got cancelled. The task was to speak on Anna and how she was as "true witness."
Text: Luke 2:36-38
Context: Luke of the synoptic gospels was written in a form of letter that really sheds light on the details and facts surrounding Jesus. Luke was a physician, so the examining of details and logic was probably the personality and approach of his authorship. Little, sweet, baby Jesus : ) has been born and as a Jewish custom, “according to the Law of Moses,” they were to present their newborn to the Lord and offer a sacrifice. Jesus had been presented to the Lord in the temple and Anna was also present. The promised had been fulfilled! God had done exactly what He had promised to His people, to Anna’s father Phanuel, to The tribe of Asher, her ancestors!! The Son of God had come to reconcile them to God!
· What were they waiting on? What is it like apart from God? We see in the Old Testament this saga of up and down disobedience, restoration, call to repentance, repentance, God being merciful, still offering Hope and then they turn away….JUST the RESULTS of SIN! “Everyone did what was right in their own eyes”
1. Judges 2:16-23
2. Isaiah 8:16-17; 9:2,6-7
3. Jeremiah 29:12-14
4. Lamentations 5:1-22
Message: So you can see what the Hype is about? Luke 2:38—“she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to ALL who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.” She was part of that ALL. I can imagine her in the temple seeing the scriptures being consummated and filled with wonder and awe. She then closes her eyes picturing the glorious God and Creator of the Universe, humbling himself and is now this little sweet child. Cuts to Him preaching and telling the people the message of salvation. Her vision then cuts to Him being beaten, persecuted and ultimately crucified. She’s tormented until she views the resurrection, Him rising with all power in His hands with righteousness and justice for All. Seeing her sins nailed to the Cross, hoping in eternal life and finally being able to worship the King. (Which was approaching…because she was old..."wearing dentures old" I presume) And then that VERY HOUR she’s goes and tells people about the Savior…Her Savior.
Anna had a motive and a purpose. ORGANIC…flowed out of the natural response to this wonderful “event” and her new “position” (justification, salvation). Again, this is not a character sermon: "Be Like Anna. Do this, to be like Anna." But the reference to Anna in this text shows us the goal and posture of a believer…which all points back to the person and work of Jesus Christ.
- Motive—The Gospel was her motivation. Anna was so in love with Christ and understood the great implication of seeing that little baby being presented at the temple toward fulfilling the covenant that God promised his people…his church. This compelled her to tell of His wonderful news. This motivation should be the force behind serving Him and serving this world. You know to “Witness” I.E. Ministries of Compassion can easily turn into works-righteousness.
1. II Corinthians 5:14-21
Commonplace—right where she was; purpose as a woman…Helper, life-giver---discipling women
2. Proverbs 31:8-9, Isaiah 1:17, Hebrews13:1-3,
- Purpose---Catechism: The chief end of man is to glorify God and adore Him forever.
- The Hebrew word for glory is “Kavod;Kabod” meaning weight. Anna knew the value of Jesus. We can see in our lives what we give value to which is what we ultimately give glory too. I.e. time, money, where we spend our time+ usually we’ll see that our purposes are to show glory to ourselves. (See Pastor Gay's Selfish Ambition Sermon).
A.W. Tozer “Sometimes I go to God and say, "God, if Thou dost never answer another prayer while I live on this earth, I will still worship Thee as long as I live and in the ages to come for what Thou hast done already. " God’s already put me so far in debt that if I were to live one million millenniums I couldn’t pay Him for what He’s done for me. (Worship: The Missing Jewel, 24).”
Anna's purpose was to proclaim the gospel not anything aside for that. I Corinthians 2:2 “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (Paul said I didn’t come in lofty speech or wisdom, but fear trembling…but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God).
*Romans 1:15-6: I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome 16: For I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes to the Jew first and also the Greek.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Duh!
This may be obvious, but as I was getting my daily fix from particular blogs and online news that I frequent and tickle my interest, I realized that I am on Day 9 of my "social media" fast and that a part of my social media networks include this one! Lol! Well duh but I never really connected the dots. In the meantime, the hymn " I am Thine O Lord," says it best my objective and my hope during this "master cleanse." LOL plus I am believing God on some specific things, seeking to hear from Him through His word, getting disciplined by grace, regaining focus and I have picked up some great literature during a visit to the library (I get a rush checking out books that I want but don't have to purchase. Total frugal-dork move)! I am excited and humbled. These past few days have caused a mirror to go up and...I am not liking what I see. I'll be journaling, perhaps some will hit here. (Its not like anyone really reads this thing, so none of this probably does not even matter. However my intentions are to inform and engage no matter how random these blog posts may be and for sake of consistency because some juicy things have been ruminating as indicated from my previous posts...anyway, I totally digress...)
See ya alligator. After while crocodile. : )
I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Refrain
Draw me nearer, nearer blessèd Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessèd Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the power of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
Refrain
O the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!
Refrain
There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
Refrain
See ya alligator. After while crocodile. : )
I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice,
And it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith
And be closer drawn to Thee.
Refrain
Draw me nearer, nearer blessèd Lord,
To the cross where Thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessèd Lord,
To Thy precious, bleeding side.
Consecrate me now to Thy service, Lord,
By the power of grace divine;
Let my soul look up with a steadfast hope,
And my will be lost in Thine.
Refrain
O the pure delight of a single hour
That before Thy throne I spend,
When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, my God
I commune as friend with friend!
Refrain
There are depths of love that I cannot know
Till I cross the narrow sea;
There are heights of joy that I may not reach
Till I rest in peace with Thee.
Refrain
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Contradiction?
Read an interesting article today regarding those that do not believe that women should be Pastors, that vote for a female president and other gender debates. It has provoked me toward another "homework assignment." Hahahaha plus my ideas have evolved in this area. Looking forward to some time to journal on this topic and Black Folk and Obama. Now, that I've transitioned back to NC and I am in a routine it would incite me to do so! So excited to share about my recent experiences also dealing with a community of justice. God's been faithful.
~Ash
~Ash
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Black Folk and the Obama Administration Pt. 1: hmmmm
January 20, 2009 I watched the T.V. overcome with emotion as America's first black president was being inaugurated. You see a little over 50 years ago this momentous and historical event wouldn't have been imagined and several hundred years before that black people were not even deemed as humans but as chattel or property. Now, at a time where blacks have seemingly been afforded "freedom" and "opportunity" in the "land of the free" it is still clear that racial and social tensions are still prevalent. In a fractured and fallen world this is to be expected. And as a result, African-American's have a special cord when it comes to President Obama and the Obama Administration. He represents so much, however it seems that African-American's (whatever their partisanship) defensive nature also allows a sort of glaze over the issues and blind approach to the interpretation of how certain legislation and value systems affect us.
Almost a half-century since the passage of the Civil Rights Act, too many blacks still don't want to be free and accept the responsibilities that go with it.
Monday, July 18, 2011by Star Parker
A Chicago Sun Times article, headlined "The disappearing black middle class," reports on the disproportionate impact of these hard economic times on blacks.
According to the data, taken from the Washington-based Economic Policy Institute, median net worth of white households fell from $134,280 in 2004 to $97,860 in 2009, while over the same period median black household net worth went from $13, 450 to $2,170.
The national unemployment rate stands at 9.2 percent, while black unemployment is over 16 percent.
There's more, but you get the picture. The nation has been hit hard, but blacks much harder.
Which raises a point of interest.
Approval rates for President Barack Obama among whites have dropped from 56 percent in early 2009 after he became president to 39 percent now -- a drop of 17 points. But over this same period, Obama's approval rating among blacks has dropped just 8 points from 93 percent to 85 percent.
Many whites that initially had supported our president are now crediting him for our current misery. But blacks, despite suffering far more, are far less inclined to hang it on Obama.
The message that massive government spending and borrowing does not grow the economy has not reached blacks. Rather, like our president, they seem to believe that the problem is we just haven't yet dug the fiscal hole deep enough.
Is this a racial thing? Whites will jump off the ship run by a black captain in a minute while blacks will ride it out until it hits the iceberg?
No, I don't think so. I think it's both a liberal information thing and a moral thing.
The liberal information thing is that blacks overwhelmingly get their information from liberal sources.
Blacks watch CNN and MSNBC, not Fox. They listen to urban black radio.
They are not going to hear from these sources that if you look all over the world, nations with the most prosperous economies are the ones with the most limited governments. Liberal media refuses to get and pass the word that socialism has failed.
The major organizations that supposedly represent black interests are all on the left, generously funded by big left wing white foundations and by our nation's corporations. The former do it because they are liberals and the latter do it to show that they are not racist.
And, like the Economic Policy Institute, that produced the data reported in the Sun Times article, they are supported by unions.
But I think more corrosive is the moral thing.
Almost a half-century since the passage of the Civil Rights Act, too many blacks still don't want to be free and accept the responsibilities that go with it. Too many blacks still believe that the condition of their lives is caused by what someone else does or has.
It is sad that this is true despite the fact that blacks go to church more often, pray more often, and say religion plays a central part in their life more than any other ethnic group in the nation.
Why do a people so inclined to turn to God so readily violate the Tenth Commandment's prohibition on covetousness and measure themselves in terms of what others have? And then use this sin to justify violating the Eighth Commandment and give government license to steal what others have in order to redistribute?
Perhaps most fundamentally, how can a church going people buy into the materialism of socialism?
There is a solution to the general travails of our nation and the particular travails of our black brothers and sisters.
It is called every man and woman taking personal responsibility for their lives, turning to government for protection of life and property -- not redemption, and living as free people according to traditional biblical mores.
Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal & Education and author of the re-released book Uncle Sam's Plantation.
I came across this article by Star Parker and I am looking for another article that is a counterbalance to this one. The title says it all:
"Why Do Blacks Still Let Obama Off the Hook:"
Why do blacks still let Obama off the hook?
Almost a half-century since the passage of the Civil Rights Act, too many blacks still don't want to be free and accept the responsibilities that go with it.
Monday, July 18, 2011by Star Parker
A Chicago Sun Times article, headlined "The disappearing black middle class," reports on the disproportionate impact of these hard economic times on blacks.
According to the data, taken from the Washington-based Economic Policy Institute, median net worth of white households fell from $134,280 in 2004 to $97,860 in 2009, while over the same period median black household net worth went from $13, 450 to $2,170.
The national unemployment rate stands at 9.2 percent, while black unemployment is over 16 percent.
There's more, but you get the picture. The nation has been hit hard, but blacks much harder.
Which raises a point of interest.
Approval rates for President Barack Obama among whites have dropped from 56 percent in early 2009 after he became president to 39 percent now -- a drop of 17 points. But over this same period, Obama's approval rating among blacks has dropped just 8 points from 93 percent to 85 percent.
Many whites that initially had supported our president are now crediting him for our current misery. But blacks, despite suffering far more, are far less inclined to hang it on Obama.
The message that massive government spending and borrowing does not grow the economy has not reached blacks. Rather, like our president, they seem to believe that the problem is we just haven't yet dug the fiscal hole deep enough.
Is this a racial thing? Whites will jump off the ship run by a black captain in a minute while blacks will ride it out until it hits the iceberg?
No, I don't think so. I think it's both a liberal information thing and a moral thing.
The liberal information thing is that blacks overwhelmingly get their information from liberal sources.
Blacks watch CNN and MSNBC, not Fox. They listen to urban black radio.
They are not going to hear from these sources that if you look all over the world, nations with the most prosperous economies are the ones with the most limited governments. Liberal media refuses to get and pass the word that socialism has failed.
The major organizations that supposedly represent black interests are all on the left, generously funded by big left wing white foundations and by our nation's corporations. The former do it because they are liberals and the latter do it to show that they are not racist.
And, like the Economic Policy Institute, that produced the data reported in the Sun Times article, they are supported by unions.
But I think more corrosive is the moral thing.
Almost a half-century since the passage of the Civil Rights Act, too many blacks still don't want to be free and accept the responsibilities that go with it. Too many blacks still believe that the condition of their lives is caused by what someone else does or has.
It is sad that this is true despite the fact that blacks go to church more often, pray more often, and say religion plays a central part in their life more than any other ethnic group in the nation.
Why do a people so inclined to turn to God so readily violate the Tenth Commandment's prohibition on covetousness and measure themselves in terms of what others have? And then use this sin to justify violating the Eighth Commandment and give government license to steal what others have in order to redistribute?
Perhaps most fundamentally, how can a church going people buy into the materialism of socialism?
There is a solution to the general travails of our nation and the particular travails of our black brothers and sisters.
It is called every man and woman taking personal responsibility for their lives, turning to government for protection of life and property -- not redemption, and living as free people according to traditional biblical mores.
Star Parker is president of the Center for Urban Renewal & Education and author of the re-released book Uncle Sam's Plantation.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Jeremiah 29:11
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for the wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."
This scripture is often quoted in Christian circles. It has provided me with comfort during times of uncertainty and reminds me that God has my back. If it is one thing that I've learned while in seminary is how to better interpret scripture. What has been most rewarding is learning how to read/'preach' the Old Testament as Christian Scripture. That doesn't mean that OT is not read as Christian scripture but often times stories/scriptures from the Old Testament are taught like "fables" or "character" stories: "Do this like Ruth! Don't do this Like Adam." What's often missing is how does this relate to the center and frame of reference of the Bible: The person and work of Jesus Christ.
Often times I think Christians (including myself), read into scripture themselves as the point of reference. Most times when I hear my friends referring to this scripture it usually is like the peanut butter spread on their dreams or their plans. I've done it also. Don't get me wrong I still think that there is hope in this verse and implicates Jesus as this hope. However, that verse was given at a time where the people of Judah were threatened exile and were in political despair...not during a time where they were in school or branched out unto a new business or were pursuing a new relationship.
Jeremiah throughout the book seems to KEEP warning the people against impending judgment and to urge the people of Judah to come back to a complete dependence in the Lord. Jeremiah 29 brings the reader back to the Hope that is found in the Lord and gives the people a glimpse of restoration at this point in the text. I would like to think if we compare the context of when this was written to a present day application more than likely we would most often see "the peanut butter spread (or what ever spread you'd like) over our lives. Here it seems that God is motivating them not toward whatever "dream" or "plan" that they have to elevate themselves will come to pass but most importantly the peanut butter spread is the "new covenant" (Jer.31). In this book, a true reform needed to take place politically and in the hearts of the people. This hope and promise of wholeness and future could refer to freedom from the exile and destruction that Jeremiah had been prophesying. God was playing no games! Telling them they will see horror, destruction, famine...its not a good picture. But God also displays his mercy and compassion. The people needed a DIVINE intervention literally.
Yes, this text provides us with an assurance for those that are in Christ. But more than any plan, or hope in the future can be taken as a security that we have been forgiven as sinners because we were in need of a Savior and our eternal destination secure. We hold to the promise that He shall return and sin will be no more.
I am sorry but more than my future success, or idea of marriage, thought of children, vocation, career, travel, what I'll eat for dinner tonight or any of MY plans that I want God to see through doesn't compare to the hope found in Jesus. He knows the plans he has for me and that is (Jer 29: 12-14 " you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will hear you. You will seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the Lord..." ) compared to ( Jer 24:10 " and I will send sword, famine, and pestilience upon them, until they shall be utterly destroyed from the land that I gave to them and their fathers.") It just places things into perspective and I am most certainly reading Jeremiah 29:11a little differently!
Hebrews 9:15, 24-27:
15Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.....24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Often times I think Christians (including myself), read into scripture themselves as the point of reference. Most times when I hear my friends referring to this scripture it usually is like the peanut butter spread on their dreams or their plans. I've done it also. Don't get me wrong I still think that there is hope in this verse and implicates Jesus as this hope. However, that verse was given at a time where the people of Judah were threatened exile and were in political despair...not during a time where they were in school or branched out unto a new business or were pursuing a new relationship.
Jeremiah throughout the book seems to KEEP warning the people against impending judgment and to urge the people of Judah to come back to a complete dependence in the Lord. Jeremiah 29 brings the reader back to the Hope that is found in the Lord and gives the people a glimpse of restoration at this point in the text. I would like to think if we compare the context of when this was written to a present day application more than likely we would most often see "the peanut butter spread (or what ever spread you'd like) over our lives. Here it seems that God is motivating them not toward whatever "dream" or "plan" that they have to elevate themselves will come to pass but most importantly the peanut butter spread is the "new covenant" (Jer.31). In this book, a true reform needed to take place politically and in the hearts of the people. This hope and promise of wholeness and future could refer to freedom from the exile and destruction that Jeremiah had been prophesying. God was playing no games! Telling them they will see horror, destruction, famine...its not a good picture. But God also displays his mercy and compassion. The people needed a DIVINE intervention literally.
Yes, this text provides us with an assurance for those that are in Christ. But more than any plan, or hope in the future can be taken as a security that we have been forgiven as sinners because we were in need of a Savior and our eternal destination secure. We hold to the promise that He shall return and sin will be no more.
I am sorry but more than my future success, or idea of marriage, thought of children, vocation, career, travel, what I'll eat for dinner tonight or any of MY plans that I want God to see through doesn't compare to the hope found in Jesus. He knows the plans he has for me and that is (Jer 29: 12-14 " you will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will hear you. You will seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the Lord..." ) compared to ( Jer 24:10 " and I will send sword, famine, and pestilience upon them, until they shall be utterly destroyed from the land that I gave to them and their fathers.") It just places things into perspective and I am most certainly reading Jeremiah 29:11a little differently!
Hebrews 9:15, 24-27:
15Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.....24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
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