The City

Shake the Devil off and keep him off!
Don’t run back to the sin that was killing you!

Back when I was growing up the “bank head bounce” was a popular move, as was the song “shake shake shake”, a song we sang in the choir that spoke about “shaking” the devil off. The choir I was in would bank head bounce as we sang the song, and my goodness family, I used to be the main one shaking up there, and I had a great time, not only because I enjoyed the dance, but I truly enjoyed the worship. The folk in Galatia also shook the Devil off by the power of the Holy Spirit, but were quickly running back to the sin they were trapped back in..

^{Gal 4:8-10}

⁸Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. ⁹But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? ¹⁰You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! ¹¹I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.

These folk were free!

However they got themselves caught up, confused and led astray in tradition and culture and letting these things be the standard by which their salvation is measured, and thus were enslaving themselves.

Many of us do this today. Many of us have accepted Christ and been freed but for whatever reason (pride, pressure, confusion) go back to what we were delivered from to gauge our salvation/merit. This can be by going back to following religious tradition, staying on top of fashion, following the hottest Drake song, you name it, anything that we were once delivered from that we go back to as if we weren’t bought with a price, that price being the blood of Jesus Christ.

Let us remain cognizant of the Grace of Jesus Christ. We are nothing aside from God’s gift, no matter how logically it sounds or how good it may temporarily feel. Let us keep this first in our hearts not in guilt, but in appreciation, love and acceptance. By this we glorify the Father and then called children of a most holy God.

Gal 4:But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, ⁵to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. ⁶Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,Father.” ⁷So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

Stay Strong and Encouraged in the Lord!

Much Love in Christ

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i love hip hop. God knows i do. i used to worship hip hop. i used to love h.e.r. God knows i did. but since i’m a new creation, (2 Co 5:17) God has reconciled my worship back to Him, and hip hop, which was created very good (Ge 1:31), is now just another creation of God in which i just bask in awe of Him, that is, whenever i partake in the hip hop culture.

i spent this past Christmas without my immediate family, but it was still a glorious day, as is everyday (Ps 118:24). one of the gifts that i received on that day was this “blood bought” mixtape released by a south philly cat that goes by the name of eshon burgundy. thanks to @die_dd, eshon burgundy was the first “Christian hip hop artist” i listened to after receiving *kanye voice* the greatest gift of all time (Ep 2:8)! to say the least, his music ministry has truly blessed me!

i’ll confess my sins and say that i do have an east coast bias, lol, but i encourage you to download this mixtape, not because of the raw, grungy beats by street orchestra, or the stop and go cadence of eshon burgundy’s rhyme scheme, but because of the good news He proclaims of being blood bought by the blood of none other than Jesus Christ! he doesn’t proclaim this good news in a “super-theological” method (i hate that word lol). he just gives it to you straight up, but at the same time with God-given skill!

but what’s the deal with the title, “blood bought?”

well, without bloodshed, we’d be in sin (He 9:22), and well, simply put, we’d be dead! but Jesus Christ, the necessary and perfect sacrifice (He 10), shed His bled for us so that we can be cleansed of our sins (1 Jo 1:7) and become righteous in Him (2 Co 5:21)! that’s Love! agapeo anyone?

where would we be without His blood!?!!?

“but now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” – Ephesians 2:13.

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I just want to be accepted. As a little girl I begged to be a Brownie, this was the most cherished club of my fifth grade class. I loved being a high school athlete, having a letterman jacket was like belonging to an exclusive community. I’ve bought shoes, jackets, gaming systems, and tried hairstyles just to ‘stay on top’ in different clicks and circles of friends.

In an effort to be accepted we categorize ourselves. In order to fit in these categories, we define ourselves using words like student, intelligent, athlete, popular, middle class, lower class, Black, Hispanic, or White. In Ephesians 2 Paul teaches that categories separate us and separation causes hostility.

“For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.”   Ephesians 2:14

We serve a God who loved us so much that He accepted us before we were students, intelligent, athlete, popular, middle, lower class, Black, Hispanic, or White. Imagine a God that loved and accepted you before you were you, before you were human, before you were embryo! He loved and accepted us when we were a blank slate and now he loves and accepts us in our flawed state.

“Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.”       Ephesians 2:16

Jesus crushed hostility on the cross and established one people, and one united body.

So why categorize yourself?

Why does racism and discrimination still exist?

Where did status and social classes come from? Why does a class of poverty in India exist, where the people are so impoverished they are called the untouchables, because no one goes near them?

When did closed off clicks start? When did clicks start to alienate kids, so that the only way some kids could gain recognition was to commit horrific events such as Columbine?

The world teaches us that social class, race, and clubs matter. The world says that those are the things that define us and make us who we are. The desire to find acceptance in the world is a result of the sinful nature we were born into. But if we are in Christ we are a new creation, our rebirth in Christ broke the bondages of that sinful nature and our mindset is not of this world anymore!

Sometimes clicks exist even in the church, we create divisions between the ‘seasoned saints’ and the ‘beginners.’ We don’t realize that by alienating others, we are alienating ourselves. Christ only has one people that make up one body, there’s only one click, one club, and no color lines. If we divide ourselves, then we are CHOOSING to not be a part of that one body, the body of Christ.

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I seek salvation.

as the song writer Lauryn Hill once said, “Please save me from myself…I need You to save me from myself…Please save me from myself so I can heal”

In the midst of our troubles we just want a way out.

Sometimes our desire to be freed ignores God and seeks ulterior means of freedom…even to the point of thinking God supplied that ulterior means.

We look for a functional savior from a legitimate issue to rescue us.

Whether it be the pain of loneliness and we think a mate will be a comforter for us.

Whether it be pleasure and we experiment with drugs, food, and alcohol to ease the pain.

Whether it be any legitimate concern we seek temporary salvation by any means available…but it is a God sized void that only God can fill.

When it comes to an issue like that it feels all too real. No amount of theology, exegetical preaching, prophetic word, philosophy, or “it is going to be okay” will help. You want to be saved from your predicament right then and there.

Often I have to repent from that type of thinking…as if I was not saved. We search for a savior, when we already have the One true Savior.

Jesus saved me from myself…but what keeps me from this realization is my sins.

Isaiah 59: 1 Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear. 2But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

Isaiah 59 goes on to tell us how we all have fallen short of the glory of God. How God is ever present and if we feel separated from Him it is because our hands are stained with blood, our fingers with guilt, our lips have spoken lies, and our tongue mutters wicked things. No one calls for justice; no one pleads his case with integrity. We rely on empty arguments and speak lies; we conceive trouble and give birth to evil…and it is hopeless to be save ourselves.

Our hope is placed in the fact that God is mighty to save. Isaiah 59:20 “The Redeemer will come to Zion, to those in Jacob who repent of their sins,” declares the Lord. The Redeemer is Jesus Christ sent from Heaven on a rescue mission to save those who could not save themselves. As long as you attempt to save yourself you are declaring that you do not need Jesus. The Redeemer is only for those who live a lifestyle of repentance; turning away from their evil ways and trusting in Jesus. Only once you realize that your sins are what nailed Him to the cross and cost Him the most excruciating pain ever…He becomes your Savior.

...you nailed Jesus to the cross.

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.

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“Just have faith!”  “I have faith that I could make it happen.”  “You’ve just got to believe.”  I always hear that word “faith,” but I never could understand what they were talking about.  What do you mean by “faith?”  And where do I place my “faith.”  In you?  In me?  In Wall Street?  In my appearance?  In my wealth?  In my ability to overcome?  Where?

Every human being has faith and places it somewhere.  Let’s define faith has having trust in something or someone. Everybody trusts something or someone.  In order to exist, you have to believe in something.  It is foundational to human existence.  People trust parents, people, drugs, family, sex, jobs, money, love, science, and so on.  Since everybody trusts in something, the question now changes.  Before it was “Do you have faith?”  Now it is “Where do you place your faith?”  Do you trust created things that fade away, get old, or runaway, or do you trust the One who is eternal in his power, splendor, and magnificence?

Faith cannot stand by itself.  In order for faith to matter, it must be attached to a person or a thing that can deliver!  For instance, what if the Indianapolis Colts were playing the Cleveland Browns, and you picked the Cleveland Browns to win because you had “faith.” I know that the Cleveland Browns haven’t won more than 6 games in the last two years, so I would pick Indianapolis and watch you lose the bet because the team you chose to put your trust in has no power.  Whether you win the bet depends upon the team you picked.  If you picked the losing team, I don’t care how much faith you have – you are a loser.  But if you pick the winning team, with just a little faith – you are a winner.  My salvation does not depend upon the amount of faith I have, but it depends upon the power of the one I have trusted.  If I put a little faith in a big Jesus who has shown that he can beat death, hell, and the grave…  (Matthew 17:20)

(Check for Part 2.)

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she asks: why is it so difficult to cure … AIDS?

he answers: because, there is no cure.

not completely convinced with his answer – she goes to the One with all answers.

she asks: so, what is the cure to AIDS?

He answers: my Son, Jesus Christ.

this video holds the gripping story of a young girl who is slowly being murdered internally, suffering from the AIDS virus.  a story of a girl God created for His glory … for His kingdom … for Him.  she wants to share this with you – her spirit begged to speak volumes towards the Spirit of God and His power through Jesus Christ.  to tell the people of this world that they still have a chance.  i pray her story moves you towards Christ as it has for me.

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...go kill youself.

*ding ding ding*

ok you took some major hits last round…

but just one more round.

don’t give up on me now. look at me..

tears only last through the night…but joy comes in the morning doesn’t it? well…are you going to cry and give up?

What ever happened to WATCH, FIGHT, and PRAY…you focus on watching and praying but you lack on the fighting.

No, don’t fight with your strength…with His strength. wage war.

declare your hatred for your flesh and murder it. do not allow it to live.

the worst thing happened to you that can happen to any fighter…you got civilized…

The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place… and I don´t care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently, if you let it. You, them or nobody, is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how much you sin… It’s about how much you repent and turn away from your sin, and keep moving forward… how much you can take, and keep moving forward. That´s how winning is done. Now, if you know what your worth in Christ Jesus, go out and get what your worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hits. And not pointing fingers saying: You ain´t what you wanna be because of him or her or anybody. If you repent and somebody else gets the blame you never repented. Cowards do that and that ain´t you! You´re better than that! Do you know what it cost Christ on the cross to wash away that sin you so easily indulge in…God obliterated Him on the cross. The first level of Christianity is a complete denial to every want and desire outside of God’s will…repent and believe in the Gospel to which is your salvation.

just one more round. look at me…I’m the Holy Spirit…I got your back and if God is for you who can be against you…in your weakness He is made strong…so submit and rely on His strength alone.

my job is to point you to Jesus and Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself? For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels. But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”

now get back out there and kill yourself.

*ding ding ding*

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On Shacking Up:

A girl in my Spanish class recently asked in casual conversation, “why do people people say that people who live together before they get married have a higher divorce rate?” In fact, it was her strong belief that if a couple does not live together before marriage they are setting themselves up for divorce – because they have NO IDEA WHAT THEY’RE GETTING INTO.

And there’s the problem:

So many of us believe that without some sort of test run or trial period on marriage, there’s no possible way for success. If you don’t lease/rent to own you might end up with a house you don’t want.

But this very thought process is what’s going to put the marriage on the rocks. From the outset of this trial period each person is approaching this relationship conditionally. If they find one too many big flaws, they’re walking out: GAME OVER. And there are no set rules, no boundaries. So, at their most intimate moment, they could potentially be most vulnerable to the deepest pain: divorce – I mean…break up.

And they expose themselves to this trial thinking: as long as we make it through this time, we’ll be able to commit, no problem, when married. But, after months and years of approaching the relationship conditionally, can it be so easy to make the switch? I’ve been looking at you, honing in on your flaws, holding back in case I want to leave, constantly waiting on the straw that will break the camel’s back. If I haven’t trusted you for years of living a married life before…can I really trust you, love you, now?

But…

When you approach your relationships from the unconditional approach, vowing to be faithful and true to a person, not because of their showering habits, laundry maintenance, morning breath, prowess in bed, your mindset is one of determination and perseverance. The relationship becomes not about monitoring what you do and do not like about a person, but about forging a life with that person in spite of your minor dislikes!

In Fact God Shows Us How This Is Done!

“…even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ…”

Ephesians 1:4-5a

“But God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved…so that in the coming ages he might show immeasureable riches of his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

Ephesians 2:4-7

Talk about UNCONDITIONAL. Before God spoke the groundworks of this world into existence, He had already determined that YOU, whom He loved! were to join Him in eternity so that he could show you His immeasurable kindness! Think about this: before you were even worried about Him – in fact when you HATED Him – He came and died upon a cross for you. And He did this so you would know there is NOTHING that you can do to earn your salvation (besides repenting and believing of course – even though that too is a gift of God). Meaning, there’s nothing that you can do to lose it. There are NO CONDITIONS!

Why not trust and give yourself to this kind of love!

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‘Hard times push more women to strip clubs’, says the title of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution article I recently read.  According to ‘The Erotic Economy’, the strip club economy is a $15 billion industry.  Of the 3,829 strip clubs nationwide about 500,000 jobs are offered.  In the city of Atlanta alone, there are 19 strip clubs.   That is about one club for every high school in the city.  In addition, the average yearly income of an Atlanta exotic dancer can clear about $50,000, which is just under the average income of an Atlanta schoolteacher. These 19 clubs produce $240 million annually, which is more revenue than the city’s three major teams combined.

The community needs ‘The City’.  The community is on fire and much like firefighters who slide down their poles to take immediate action at the call of an emergency, Christians must acknowledge their role in the community.  Perhaps it would help if we, as Christians, recognize how we have weakened, and sometimes even abandoned, our relationships with our communities.  We have possibly isolated ourselves from the very people who need the same love we shown.   We travel from our homes to our church buildings as if we live in our own “gated” community and lifestyle, in which we literally and mentally limit ourselves from interaction with, and our involvement in, the community.  The community is in need.

As Christians we have a couple of choices of how we can take action:

• We can choose to act as if there is no problem at all, furthermore allowing the stability of the industry to be an open door for many women, even as statistics show applicants are becoming younger and younger.
• We can distance ourselves from this issue, yet submit to the ills of the economy much like adult dance club employees and  see this erotic industry as a “major financial force in [our cities], helping draw conventioneers and high-rolling celebrities”.
• Or as God calls us to do, we can pray for these people’s salvation.  Much like the loving individuals who greet abortion clinic abortionists and abortionees at the front door, Christians can also take a stand and share the love of Jesus Christ with them. (Not comparing strip clubs and abortion clinics. Or am I?) Christians have the great opportunity to introduce these souls to a Saviour who is in love with strippers, but not the stripping.  An introduction to a Lord who will one day make it rain reign, yet nothing like they have seen.

To read article click here.

As interesting as this article is, I am now more curious as to how the city of Houston’s story is.  I’m interested especially since Houston is also one of the five largest U.S. market for strip clubs.  I believe I may apply research time to this at some point and then post a part two here on ‘The City’. Let me know what you think.

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i called Your name, Yahweh,
from the depths of the Pit.
You hear my plea:
do not ignore my cry for relief.
You come near when i call You;
You say: “do not be afraid.”
lamentations 3:55-57.

… being a citizen in a country that was VICIOUSLY DEMOLISHED and still being able to call out to Jesus Christ … silently through hand gestures, body language, soft praises through songs, private worship … how is that possible? how in the world is that possible? i don’t think it is … but in the Word, it is. we are told to “consider it a great joy whenever [we] experience various trials, knowing that the testing of [our] faith produces endurance.” (james 1, v. 2-3) therefore, “blessed is the man who endures trials, because when he passes the test he will receive the crown of life that [God] has promised to those who love Him.” (james 1, v. 12)

this right here haiti was written especially for your heart to be mended and for you to find hope in the One who created hope. the One who created you. we’ve seen you endure a great test. we see your strength. we see your faith.

we see His faithfulness beaming into your open wounds. you will be healed soon. and We have not forgotten you.

i’m sorry haiti that you feel forgotten – but you are not.
since the 12th of january, you’ve been crushed into bits
and pieces of rubble and debris and broken ligaments of
misery and pain and frustration and anguish and hopelessness.

i’m sorry haiti that you feel disconnected from the planet.
but you’re keeping Us connected and you’re forcing us to
remember that We can never be neglected since we’ve been
adopted by a much Greater Being who oversees all over seas.

i’m just trying to remind you, haiti, that you are apart of this Family.
that you are sealed in a Spirit that promises to never leave you when
you are in distress, experiencing brokenness, and in a pool of regret.
this Spirit promises hope for you, promises comfort for you, promises a way to transform you.

haiti, we know Jesus didn’t just come for those who are not sick – He came
for the ones who need to be healed from the strife, sickness, and sorrow.
and don’t you think those are the feelings you have followed … ?
He has come for you … and He will not ever leave you alone … just pay attention.
keep your head and hands lifted.

haiti, We hear you! haiti, We see you! haiti, We love you!

He’s calling you … so please, come Here.

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