Chosen Generation
 
    The Champ is here, The Champ is here is the opening song for my favorite radio host, Warren Ballentine. This song is very befitting for the show as Mr. Ballentine refers to himself as a truth fighter. His mission is to bring awareness to minority issues in America. The song pumps me up and gets me ready for the knowledge I know I will gain by the show’s end.  So, a few weeks ago my pastor preached a message on setting an atmosphere for Victory. He talked about how we cannot sit and wait to see the actual manifestation of the blessing, but we as people of God must learn to set the atmosphere for victory even in the midst of adversity. Which brings me to the reason that I feel led to write this blog.
      Life can sometimes get the best of us. There are days when the sun is shining and everything is looking up, and then there are days as one of my poems says where “adversity is our best of friends.” One day I was getting ready for work and it was one of those days when I felt a little down, and I heard the spirit clearly say that I needed a fight song. A song much like Mr. Ballentine’s opening song that pumps me up and lets me know that I am not fighting this race alone. I thought about the analogy of boxing athletes who often have a signature song that they march out to before facing their boxing opponent in a fight challenge. This song lets their opponent know that they stand ready to fight and signifies a confident and victorious stance. We have an enemy who is our opponent and he desires to defeat us. If he can access those persons or things that are dear to us, then he will attempt to take us to battle. But, I implore you to get a Fight Song so that you are ready for the battleground.
    The bible states in I Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” Yet, we know that for every threat that the enemy comes with God has made us a promise. The word promises in Isaiah 61:3 to give us “the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” Your praise is your Fight Song. There are so many songs that have gotten me through tough moments, songs with messages that uplift and provide so much joy. So, I ask today, what will your Fight Song be? Allow me to share several of my fight songs with you:


Fred Hammond – All Things are Working for Me

Tye Tribbett & GA– Victory

Brandon Camphor & One WayGotta Have Faith

Selah – You are My Hiding Place

 

And so many more……

 
 
A unique commentary on the movie “Precious”

I have never seen a movie as chilling and breathtaking as the movie “Precious” (an exception would be the Passion for Christ which is really in a class of its own). It is a heartbreaking story that pushes your emotions to the edge of time.  As I watched the screen, at times unable to face this young girl who had endured so much, I came to the realization that transparency is sometimes too hard to bear. Telling the true story about your real self and real life situations can be difficult and at certain times impossible. But the truth is that transparency is the key to personal freedom. The bible says in Revelation 12:11 that we overcome by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. Essentially, telling our truths may set someone else free. The movie “Precious,” exposes a story about a young woman who is abused physically and sexually by both her mother and father.  She is illiterate and understandably suffers from low self esteem. Her view of the world has been jaded by the circumstances in her own life. Reflecting on this movie I think about the many faces that we pass on a daily basis, on our jobs, at our churches, and sometimes even in our own homes. The faces of people who are dealing with circumstances and issues that are beyond our imagination. We have become a people of avoidance, especially in our churches. As if avoiding reality makes it disappear. Avoidance is why millions of children are abused everyday. Avoidance is why racism continues to contaminate our society. Avoidance is why people commit suicide. Avoidance is why many refuse to be transparent in our churches. To think if we could just be honest with one another and trust our stories with others how many lives would be saved. If we could smile at those who seem down, and really show sincerity and concern for the lives of others. One of the most amazing things that Jesus did while on earth was unveiling the masks of others. He saw past facades, past clothes, past appearance to the very soul of a person. One day while at a well attempting to get some water, Jesus has a conversation with a Samaritan woman (read John 4:7-29). He exposes the truth of everything taking place in her life. She could not hide because Jesus knew the truth of who she was. It is easy to wear the mask with everyone else, but Jesus knows who we are. If only we could get to the place where we could take off our masks and share our truths with others, how many people would be healed? What would it have meant to a young girl like Precious to hear she was not alone in her circumstances?
 
Having spent all of my life in a Christian church, I have a pretty good grasp on the evolution of the Christian movement in America. Although heavily criticized, Christians have managed to keep a relevant place within the religions of the world. Yet, recently many individuals who grew up in Christian backgrounds are turning towards new and alternative religions to leave the Christian faith. So, a few days ago I asked the question what has happened to the Christian church and are we still presenting the life and legacy of Jesus Christ in a way that is relevant to those living in today’s society. While listening to a radio program, I heard a guest on the show who discussed the fact the she had converted to the religion of Buddhism recently because she felt like she could not find true peace with the religion of Christianity. I contemplated her words for a long time. It bothered me that she could not find peace in a religion whose belief is based on the Prince of Peace in the person of Jesus Christ. How did this woman essentially miss the teachings of Jesus and all that He has promised to those who believe on Him? Could it be that the Christian church of America has jaded the message of Jesus with greed and false teaching? Maybe this woman was not stable in her faith and therefore susceptible to any kind of teaching.  Either way, I believe that it is the responsibility of those who claim Jesus to accurately and responsibly spread the good news.  Yet, many churches are more concerned with filling pews than winning souls. There has to come a time when we as Christians go back to the true purpose of Christianity, faith in Jesus Christ.  It is ALL about HIM! We have to realize that our feelings, our emotions, ours lives should be so sold out for Christ that the world desires what we have. You can’t solve a problem by feeding the problem more of the poison that it already possesses.  We have to stop trying to spread the good news of Jesus and reach the world with the mechanisms that are already causing them so much harm. Standards should not waver, they are strong, they are solid.  We must stand for HIM all the way or not at all. So the question of the day, where does Christianity stand as a religion?