From The Ashes
John 2:19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
“Our God” by Chris Tomlin (with lyrics)
If you have been watching the news lately, you have been bombarded with images of chaos in Baltimore. It is no doubt disturbing, but where we see tragedy, the Lord sees opportunity. Man’s garbage is the Lord’s treasure. Where we see loss, the Lord sees potential gain. In many parts of the world, farmers who are clearing new land, set it on fire. They burn everything. You see the ashes are a natural fertilizer. From those ashes will spawn beautiful healthy crops. That’s amazing isn’t it? I love the way that God works. Hallelujah! In the wake of destruction, new life is wrought. Praise God! Let us not focus on the negative destruction. Instead, let us focus on renewal. (more…)
A New Creation
II Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
What does it mean to be “a new creation”? It means you can start over. That’s right! No matter how fouled up your life has been, you can erase the past and start over. But, you can’t do it alone. You need help! I have some really awesome news for you, friend. Jesus Christ can help you. He is the only help you’ll need. In fact, He is the only real help there is. And, guess what! He wants to help you. He can’t wait to rescue you from yourself and the world. Why? Because He loves you beyond all reasoning. Your brain does not have the capacity to even begin to calculate the Lord’s love for you. Now, you may not know Jesus. I am sure you have heard of Him, but you may not know Him. Well, He knows you, friend. And, He desperately wants you to get to know Him. (more…)
Resurrection Sunday
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
Dear Readers: This past Sunday was Easter… Or what I like to call Resurrection Sunday! The Lord has risen! Praise God! Let every knee bow to His glory!
Now, there are two ways to celebrate Easter. There is the pagan way, which revolves around fertility. The Easter bunny is the symbol of the pagan version. The eggs represent the blessings of being with child. We can debate whether or not we should give our kids eggs and baskets. My personal belief is that as long as we teach them about the Lord and that the Easter bunny is pretend but Jesus is real, I see no harm in it. I would even encourage you to follow your heart and pray on it. So, why do we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord on a pagan holiday? The answer is Emperor Constantine – who unified his empire under Christ. In an attempt to make the transition easier, he aligned pagan holidays with Christian holidays.
Now, let us discuss the only true way to celebrate Resurrection Sunday. It is a day in which we should recognize and celebrate the great sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ and His triumph over death for our sake. John 3:17-18 says “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.“ (more…)
ONE
Philippians 2:1-4 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
We were created to be one. One with GOD and one with each other. There is only one world, one people and one Love. God is Love and Love is God. There is only one genetic code [D.N.A.]. All of the life forms that you see around you are different variations of that code. What makes people unique is our human genome. Now when I say unique, I mean different from other species. For as a kind or species, we are the same genetically. God did not create us to evolve; rather, He created us to adapt to our environment. Thus, we have very, very slight and minute differences. For instance, people from Asia come from a windy environment. Thus, their bodies adapted by slanting their eyes to shield them from dust and debris. 
Skin color is an adaptation to shield people from the sun in warmer climates, such as Africa, and to absorb more sun in places such as England and Ireland where it is notoriously cloudy. It is so brilliant how the Father works. I marvel at His creativity and ingenuity. We all came from the Garden of Eden. It was sunny and warm there. So, it is likely that Adam and Eve were some medium color. Adam’s fall from grace created separation – separation from God and each other. Man was forced to leave Eden. As we multiplied, we went separate ways and into different environments. Thus, we adapted and developed slight differences. The same occurred after the great flood. Those adaptations combined with the sin in our hearts caused us to hate each other based on our differences. Racism is idiocy since there is truly only one race – the human race. (more…)
The Ripple Effect
Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.“
Dear Readers: I do not write about my children. That is because I have tried to keep them protected from those who hate me. I have done my best to shelter my family from the spotlight. It is important to me, however, to share my experience with the world. I have a son and daughters that I love very, very much. They have always been and forever will be my heart and soul. In 2011-2012, my family and I became homeless. We were forced to live in a shelter. For the first time in my life I could not provide for them. We were destitute. On more than one occasion, we ate watered-down soup. I went without meals so that the kids could eat. We had been struggling for a couple years. I was working odd jobs wherever I could find them. From time to time, I did things I am not proud of to make ends meet. I did everything that I thought I could to keep from being a criminal. When we landed in that shelter, I became desperate. On top of being homeless, we lost our car. I had not yet accepted the Lord. Thus, I did not possess the mind I have now. So, when I was offered a chance to make some quick money, I took it. My intentions were pure and even noble in my own mind. I did the wrong things for the right reasons. I am not guilty of the crimes I have been wrongfully convicted of. I am not a murderer. (more…)
“Daddy’s Little Girl” by Randall S Daluz
A Cry For Peace In Ferguson
Deuteronomy 32:35 Vengeance is Mine, and recompense; Their foot shall slip in due time; For the day of their calamity is at hand, And the things to come hasten upon them.’
Source: Wikipedia.org (click image)
When I turned the news on this morning, I was shocked to learn that two police officers had been shot in Ferguson. My prayers are with them and their families. I am shocked at the brutality, but I am sad to say I am not surprised. Given the racial tensions in my own case, this situation is close to my heart. I cannot lie; I am very disgusted with our legal system. The racism in our justice system has deep roots. It is heinous and unacceptable. Does it anger me? Yes, of course it does! That being said, I want it to be known that I condemn the acts of violence perpetrated by misguided people against the police. We are not living under the Old Testament. We must not seek “an eye for an eye”. It is wrong. (more…)