What happened to y'all?

At first I thought my father would be offended by my question but he wasn’t.  He gave me his account of what happened to the church from that “give me that old time religion” point of view. And the reality of the matter is that if I were a Christian, I would probably live my life according to that doctrine. At least you could ask questions without being labeled a trouble maker.         

 

Acts 2:1-4 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy spirit^(D) and began to speak in other tongues^[a](E) as the Spirit enabled them.

They were willing to come together in one place, and one time, this was why God was able to fill them with the Holy Ghost ,this is why they were able to speak with tongues ,this is why they were blessed with the power that they had in those days.

I Corinthians 16:8 Says: ⁸ But I will stay on at Ephesus until Pentecost,

The people were willing to wait on God for whatever blessing he had for them.

 

There are four kinds of preachers now:
Liberal- Person doesn't believe anything about Gods Words.
Moderate-Claims to selectively believe parts of God's word, he has no use for the fundamental doctrines of our fathers.
Middle of the Road-- He emphasis no love and tries to please everybody; everyone is good no one is lost.
Old Time Preacher- Who is true to the Word, he knows men are lost and that Christ is their only hope.

 

I Corinthians 16:13 Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. ¹⁴ Do everything in love.

 

 

You have to be this way to have power in God. This was the way the old Saints did in the old Days, they didn't mine “tarring” before God to bring them out of their sins.  They lived so that the Power of God would draw people from their sins.  And when sinners came to Church they would be saved.  The power of conviction was so strong in those days, that no matter what their sins were they repented. People no longer get Saved and tarry for the Holy Ghost. Preachers want money, people to fill the building, nice cars, big houses and nice clothes.  So that they can walk over people and say I am a king.  You can not do what God wants if you are not saved from sin. How can you help others to Christ If you have not stopped your living in sin. Nothing is wrong with having nice things, but people get lifted up in their own pride of life. And when you are lifted by pride, you fall and fail yourself and others in life. You have to love, beleive God, and trust him that has saved you from Sin.  Receiving the Holy Ghost will keep you if you standing on his word, and in the power of his righteousness.

 

 God Bless Everyone

Friendly Spiritual Sparring Session

I decided to take a step back from my normal posting, and engage in a quick rebuttal to my father’s post. My father and I were discussing talking points for this week, and the conversation carried over into a debate.  The focal point of our debate was is Jesus Christ the only true path to God.   We agreed to disagree and then he sucker punched me, after we got off the phone lol!!!  So I will break this post down into two parts.  I’ll post my dads thought and conclude with a short rebuttal       

                  

 ________________________________________________________

Roman 1:16. I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
17.For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, the just shall live by faith.
 Roman 10:3-9. For they being ignorant of  God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.   For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart. Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:)  Or, who shall descend into the deep? (that is,to bring up Christ again from the  dead.)  But what saith it?  The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised  him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
 1 Corinthians1:21 -25. For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God,it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.   For the Jews require a sign, and  the  Greeks seek after wisdom:  But we preach Christ crucified, unto  the  Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness;   But unto them which are called, both Jew and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and  the wisdom of God. Because the foolish weakness of God is stronger than men.
 Galatians 4:4.  But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.  The Jews, Greeks, Gentiles, and anybody else has to be saved, that is why he sent his son to die for our sins.

"Elder Melvin Bates"

_______________________________________________________

This rebuttal is not a knock against Christianity, but an attempt to better understand it.  My father along with most Christians, believe that the only way to God is through Jesus Christ.  I believe that God determines the path of the person searching for him.  I find it difficult to believe that God will penalize you, for searching after him within your own culture. 

Fact: The books of the bible were agreed upon by the leaders of the Catholic Church, after years of debating, arguing, adding and rearranging them.  The Council of Trent finalized the accepted bible and laid the seed for modern day Christianity.  It’s easier to accept that God inspired the prophets, and the prophets handed down the bible generation after generation.  The truth of the matter is that Christianity is a belief system based on the edited version of the bible.  I don’t see anything wrong with finding God through Christianity but other paths do exist.          

Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, etc are all paths to the Creator.   I may not agree with your path to God, but who am I to judge that path?  Any one can spout writings and sayings from their perspective books.  The problem is that you are seeing things through rose colored glasses.  I don’t agree that the Koran is God’s personal message to me, but it still gives me positive insight. I believe the bible was edited for political reasons, but I still believe it has a message.   The ultimate truth is, “are you satisfied with your personal relationship with the Creator”?  If you can answer this question yes, who am I to question the authenticity of your faith.                  

Bishop Bubbles

Bishop Larry Trotter, Pastor at Sweet Holy Spirit Church in Chicago Ill., decided to toss around a few bubbles with his granddaughter in the bath tub and “Instagram” them.  I’m not saying that the brother was doing anything improper but dammn! Homie!

P.S. What's up with the creepy grin 

Does a Man Dying from Thirst Really Care About the Label?

 

 

Each of us in our different religions and traditions have different ways of dealing with the pain of the past, and I think it is important to remember and respect these different paths...

“Sarah Talcott Blair”

This could be the time for people of all faiths to move beyond ancient hostilities and suspicions and to discover the untapped potential of cooperation.

“Bishop Bill Swing”

The important thing is not to live for peace work but to live for God. That is after all, obviously, the vocation for peace work, where action is the prayer.

“Heidi Rautionmaa”

Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.

“Buddha”

[Creator], you offer peace as a gift

and peace as a responsibility...

Give us the grace to reach out for peace,

to have attitudes of peace,

that our words may be words of peace,

that our works may be works of peace.

Then may we build the peace that we and our nations need.

“Monseñor Pedro Rubiano Sáenz, Columbia”

A lot of littles make a much.

“Reverend Doctor Dale Turner”

A just peace includes not only civil and political rights – it must encompass

economic security and opportunity. For true peace is not just freedom from fear, but freedom from want.

“President Barack Obama”

It is my fervent wish that every one of us can become aware of the interconnectedness of all existence, and that we might each pause enough to experience the miracle of consciousness. In this experience of and in this awareness of our inter-connectedness, we might discover that there is no space at all for envy, hatred or thought of revenge. Only for Love.

“George Leonard”

Faith is the essential part of relationship or truth in God.  Without Faith we cannot please God. Hebrew 11:6. We have to believe in him, and believe him. Both Faith and belief are generally the same people that live by Faith are followers of Jesus Christ, called believers (Act 5:14). Hebrew 1:1 states, Now Faith is the substance of  things hoped for, the evidence of  things not seen, The source of Faith; is that by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; It is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast,(Ephesians 2:8). What can I do to get enough Faith?  If you can believe, all things are possible. Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you will find, knock, and it will be opened unto you.   Faith is dead, without your works in God; no belief in God will not motivate you in Jesus Christ. Faith in God is living for Christ, and that motivates your action because you love doing for Christ, being fruitful, worthy of repentance, turning away from Sin. It’s all about Faith in God our Father and willing to turn in a different way of thinking.

“Elder Melvin Bates”

Healing Stones for the Soul

Imam Ali once said to his son Imam Hasan, My son, learn four things from me and through them you will learn four more. If you keep them in mind your actions will not bring any harm to you: The greatest wealth is Wisdom; the greatest poverty is stupidity; the worst unso- ciableness is that of vanity and self-glorification; and the best nobility of descent exhibits itself in politeness and in refinement of manner. The next four things, my son, are: "Do not make friendship with a fool because when he will try to do you good he will do you harm; do not make a miser your friend because he will run away from you at the time of your dire need; do not be friendly with a vicious and wicked person because he will sell you and your friendship at the cheapest price and do not make friend of a liar because like a mirage he will make you visualize very near the things which lie at a great distance and will make you see at the great distance the things which are near to you".

 

“Imam Ali”

 

 

 

 

Master of the Universe, grant me the ability to be alone.  May it be my custom to go outdoors each day among the trees and grass, among all growing things.  And there may I be alone in prayer, to talk with my Creator, to express everything in my heart.  May all the foliage of the field awake at my coming, to send the power of their life into the words of my prayer, so that my prayer and speech are made whole through the spirit of all growing things. 

 

“Meditation of Reba Nahman of Bratslav”

 

 

 

 

Joy is a feeling of happiness that comes from success, good fortune, or a sense of well-being.  After Adam and Eve disobeyed God, Joy was lost. God expelled them from their garden home to prevent something worse from happening. If they had eaten from the tree of Life after eating from the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they would have lived forever in their misery.  Life outside the garden was not easy. Adam and Eve had to work hard for their food. The reality of death was everywhere, and animals preyed on one another. Even worse, the couple's firstborn son murdered his younger brother.  What could be worse?  Sin had
pierced their lives, and the couple could not stop joy from draining out.  But God had a plan to restore joy.  Joy was lost in the Garden when death came, but
joy returned through birth-- the birth of God's own Son. "I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people" (Luke 2:10) Jesus grew up to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, and raise the dead. But this was just a taste of things to come.  God entered our world, experienced our sorrow, and conquered death, giving us hope that he will keep his promise to end pain, and eliminate sorrow and death (John 11:25-26; I Cor. 15:3-4; and Rev. 21:4) 
 It was Joy in Heaven, over one sinner that repents, more than  over, ninety and nine just persons, which need on repentance. It was Joy when the father saw his lost son coming, he said to his servants, bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry.  I count this all Joy of the Lord, because one day you were lost, but now you have been birth into a new Life through Jesus Christ, who is our JOY. 

 

“Elder Melvin Bates” 

 

 

 

Just as the soft rains fill the streams,
pour into the rivers, and join together in the oceans,
so may the power of every moment of your goodness
flow forth to awaken and heal all beings–
those here now, those gone before, those yet to come.

By the power of every moment of your goodness,
may your heart’s wishes be soon fulfilled
as completely shining as the bright full moon,
as magically as by a wish-fulfilling gem.

By the power of every moment of your goodness,
may all dangers be averted and all disease be gone.
May no obstacle come across your way.
May you enjoy fulfillment and long life.

For all in whose heart dwells respect,
who follow the wisdom and compassion, of the Way,
may your life prosper in the four blessings
of old age, beauty, happiness and strength.

 

“Traditional Buddhist prayer for blessing and healing”

 

 

 

 

EUR Book Look: ‘Unfinished Business: Black Women, the Black Church …

“This book explores the Black Church as a black religious site that can offer not only hope and cultural flourishing for poor black women but can also participate in a project of economic justice toward their well-being… Their spirituality is both a catalyst for social interactions and an interpretive lens used in formulating responses to their harsh political and economic conditions…
While capitalist institutions and systems perpetuate impoverishment for so many black women and their children, poverty deeply affects their human personality… Hopelessness within poor black communities is often left unaddressed as poor blacks are blamed for their own poverty…
Poverty is produced and reproduced when the poor are locked out of America’s wealth-producing structures… My overall goal is to evaluate the social implications of black women’s poverty in this country and offer an understanding of thriving that can address their suffering and alienation.” — Excerpted from the Introduction (pgs. 3, 4, 8 & 10)
*In this age of mega-churches and prosperity theology, it is natural to wonder how many members of the black clergy even bother to minister to the needs of the least of the their brethren anymore. That question came to intrigue Professor Keri Day, Director of Black Church Studies at Brite Divinity School, after noting that Christianity is now a very different experience for sisters, depending on their social class.
While many black females have been fortunate enough to make the leap to the middle and upper-classes, the bulk remain poor with less and less hope for deliverance from their plight. In her book, Unfinished Business, Dr. Day outlines a plan to return to the times when poverty was a primary concern of the Black Church.
Annotated and academic in tone, this informative opus struck this critic as written more for a college-educated crowd than a mass audience. That being said, the feminist author does approach her subject-matter with an admirable zeal, making a case on behalf of not only black females but of women of any ethnicity who find themselves on the outside looking-in when it comes to capitalism.
For instance, she refers to the Welfare System as the “New Jane Crow” because it fails to address structural inequities in the American economy. That’s why she calls upon the Church to address a culture that “stigmatizes poor black women as deviant.”
Dr. Day’s fervent hope is that “By promoting socially-conscious capitalism among black businesses and capitalists, black churches can develop a theology of holistic prosperity that considers the thriving of all members within society.” Sadly, that’s apt to prove easier said than done in the face of an economic system all too comfortable with exploiting the human condition.
To order a copy of Unfinished Business, visit: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1570759812/ref%3dnosim/thslfofire-20

Unfinished Business: ‘Black Women, the Black Church
and the Struggle to Thrive in America’
by Keri Day
Orbis Books
Paperback, $28.00
190 pages
ISBN: 978-1-57075-981-9

Read more at http://www.eurweb.com/2012/11/eur-book-look-unfinished-business-black-women-the-black-church/#RzgAmvMgcoq3JqH9.99

Man Shot and Killed at Creflo Dollar's World Changers Church International During Prayer Service

Authorities have made an arrest after a man was fatally shot inside a famed megachurch in College Park.

The shooting broke out around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at World Changers Church International, where Creflo Dollar is the Senior Pastor. The well known televangelist recently made headlines when he was arrested at his home for assaulting his daughter. The victim was sent to the hospital in critical condition but later died, police said.

The victim from the shooting at World Changers Church has been identified as Greg McDowell.

Hours later, U.S. Marshals said a suspect was taken into custody at Lenox Square’s Macy’s store.

Police said Dollar was not there but about 20 to 25 people were gathered inside the church for a bible study during the shooting. Church members said a bible study is held every Wednesday in the chapel.

“He went in, walked in calmly, opened fire inside of the church and left as calmly as he came,” Fulton County police Cpl. Kay Lester said during a news conference

She identified 52-year-old Floyd Palmer as the suspect. He is believed to have left in a black Subuaru. Lester said Palmer is a former church employee who resigned in August for personal reasons after working there for about one year. Police worked with the county SWAT team and Marshals in the manhunt for Palmer. He was captured sometime before 4:15 p.m.

The victim has been identified as Greg McDowell, a 39-year-old volunteer prayer leader at the church. Lester said he was leading a prayer when he was shot. Multiple shots were fired, but he was the only person hit.

Wednesday night services have been canceled.

“It breaks my heart, because I know that Creflo has put so much into building up his church and wanting people to be loved, and that’s all he puts out is love,” church member Kaniesha Clark told reporters.

Nearby, Bethune Elementary and McNair Middle schools were locked down for about an hour during the shooting investigation. Fulton County Schools spokeswoman Susan Hale said there were no disruptions to the schools.

The daycare at the church was evacuated and all parents were instructed to pick up their children.

Details on what caused this man to commit such a horrible act is yet to be determined. However, this is the second time a man was killed in World Changers Church International. The first was a former member and employee that was rumored to have written a tell-all book on Creflo Dollar. The former security was called to a meeting when an altercation occurred and he was shot and killed. No one was charged.