Ideals of Christmas

One of the ideals of Christmas is that of sacrificial love.  The real reason for exchanging gifts at Christmas, whether we realize it or not, is because the Spirit of sacrificial love permeates this holy day.  He gave Himself; we thus give of ourselves.  He died for all; we thus give sacrificially to those we love.  The mysterious spirit of generosity which possesses us all at Christmas is the afterglow of Calvary.  As we exchange our gifts on Christmas morning let us remember they are symbolic of the unspeakable gift of God's love.

e.

Christmas 2019

Charisma Magazine

Charisma Magazine

A Look at Second Chronicles

The Book of Second Chronicles
Rev. M.D. Rogers

A post-exilic (after the exile) Jewish scholar compiled material from many historical resources to chronicle the history of his people. This person is not named and remains unknown, though Ezra has been cited as a possible candidate. Whoever “the chronicler” was, he utilized official and unofficial documents to write this historical account. As noted earlier, 2 Chronicles originally was joined with 1 Chronicles as one book, separated into two books since about 200 BC when the Septuagint, the Greek version of the Old Testament, was translated.

Second Chronicles covers the time from Solomon’s ascension to the throne (971 BC) until the southern kingdom of Judah was finally carried into exile in Babylon in 586 BC. The focus of the book is on Judah. The author was more concerned with telling the story of David’s descendants, who reigned over Judah, than with the history of the northern kingdom of Israel. The centrality of Jerusalem, where the temple was located, falls in line with the book’s overarching focus on the priesthood as well.

Again, 2 Chronicles was probably written in the fifth century BC, “following the return of a small group of Jews to Judah following the fall of the Babylonian Empire. Intent on rebuilding the temple and resettling the Holy Land, the little community soon found itself in a struggle simply to survive.”1 The Jews eventually rebuilt the temple but languished for years in their fight to reclaim the land. Against this backdrop, the chronicler portrayed Jewish history, focusing on the blessings God bestowed when leaders were faithful to His Law.

Why is Second Chronicles so important?
The book opens with Solomon establishing his throne over a unified nation, solidifying his authority and squashing early rebellions (1 Kings 2). He then built the magnificent temple of God, using the plans God gave to his father, David. Six of the nine chapters devoted to King Solomon focus on the temple construction, a task reserved for him since before his birth (2 Chronicles 2–7).

As it did for the Israelites, history can jog our memories. Can you remember times when God blessed you? Such memories are blessings in themselves, as well as encouragements to press on in holiness, with hope and confidence.
If you are hard-pressed to recall specific times when God worked in your life, consider your devotional habits. A prayer journal that recalls prayers asked and those answered can act as your own “history” manual. God wants us to remember His works, so we, too, can praise Him for His goodness and have hope for our future!

Does homework help primary school children or is it unnecessary stress?

Does homework help primary school children or is it unnecessary stress?

You can Whine or You can Win- Rev.M.D.Rogers

John 5

In that massive sea of human weakness and personal suffering was a
man who had been sick for thirty-eight years. The King James Version
translates John 5:6 as "He had been now a long time in that case. The
New American Standard says "He had been there a long time".The New
International Version says "When Jesus saw him lying there and
learned that he had been in this condition for a long time". For
thirty eight years he had been sick.

I'm not sure this text says that he had been around that pool for
thirty eight years, but it does say he had been in that condition for
thirty-eight years. Never forget that your physical condition and
your mental attitude live so close to each other that they catch each
other's diseases. This man had been physically infirmed (weak,
feeble and sickly) for so long that his mental attitude had also
become negatively impaired.

Adversity knows your address. Adversity knows your zip
code. Adversity knows your telephone number. Adversity knows your
cell phone number. Adversity knows your beeper number and your e-mail
address. Adversity shows up as setbacks, hardships, disappointments,
obstacles, heartaches, burdens to bear, and crosses to carry.

All of us at one time or another has a reason to complain, to
express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction or resentment. You don't
know how blessed you are, until you compare your setbacks to the
setbacks of others.

Complain, get angry, cuss and swear, express feelings of pain,
dissatisfaction or resentment. You can RESIGN. You can accept
things as they are, rather than focusing on what things can become.
To resign means to submit to something, accept something without
complaining, to give up.  You can REJOICE. Rejoice that your
situation is not worst than it is. Rejoice that you have discovered a
way that won't work. Rejoice that you don't have to go through what
you are going through by yourself.  You can RE-AJUST. You can do
what you have to do to keep going.

It bears being said again. What happens to you is not nearly as
important as how you respond to it. You can whine or you can win. You
can cry or you can try. You can be setback by your setback or you can
use your setback as a set up for a come back.

WE HAVE ACCESS-Rev. M.D. Rogers

WE HAVE ACCESS

Romans 5:2

Man's natural state is terrible. By nature man is under the wrath of God. He is the object of the divine wrath because of his sin. By nature man is shut out from the presence of God. When man took sin into his heart, God excluded man from the Garden of Eden. A barrier between man and the holy presence of God was erected for the protection of sinful man. If man in his natural and sinful state were to wander into the presence of God, it would mean the destruction of man. He would die immediately. He would be burned into nothingness by the holy flame of the divine presence. Our God is a consuming fire to all such.

The conclusion of the Roman letter is that this is the natural condition of each of us. In and of yourself, you have no access to God. All that you can expect from God is His condemnation and wrath. This is all that you deserve to receive from God. Yet for those God has justified, something glorious has happened. They have been given access to the presence of God and to His grace. Already we have noticed that those who have been justified have peace with God, and now the Apostle adds that they have access.

This word access has a beautiful history. The word was used of introducing someone, or ushering someone into the presence of the king. Some would translate the word, "we have an introduction". In this sense the word was used of the approach of the worshipper to God. In the later Greek period the word was used of the place where ships came in. It was used for a harbor or haven. This then is a bold claim. To the man who has been justified by faith, access into the grace of our God has been given through the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us notice the different aspects of this grace that are suggested to us in the verse.

OUR ACCESS IS THROUGH CHRIST JESUS

How does a man gain access into the presence of God? Who will introduce him to the living God and gain favor for Him before God? This is a most important question. The Christian is a person who has found this access, but he readily confesses that He found the access through the Lord Jesus Christ. This is the way the statement begins, "Through whom". This points us back directly to the "Lord Jesus Christ".

Man cannot gain access on his own merits or in his own way. None would dare venture into the presence of God on his own. In the Old Testament tabernacle, and later the temple, there was a heavy veil that hangs between the worshipper and the manifestation of God. Only the High Priest ever ventured beyond that veil, and he only once each year. The priest went on that annual Day of Atonement covered with the smoke of the incense. Early in the history of the tabernacle, two of the sons of Aaron violated this rule about going beyond the veil. They were immediately burned to death by the holy fire of the divine presence. God considered their crime so serious that their own father was forbidden by God to even mourn over the death. This is a clear indication of what would happen to any of us who ever dared intrude into the divine presence without the Lord Jesus.

This statement also excludes the possibility that Mary or some of the saints might gain access for us. The idea that the saints or the Mother of our Lord can gain a hearing for us before God is foreign to the New Testament. We gain our access through Him.

One aspect of this is found in the fact that Jesus removed the sin which was prevent­ing us from coming into the presence of God. Jesus is able to introduce us to the Father without fear of divine wrath because He died upon the Cross for our sins. Since He was offered for our trespasses, and raised for our justification, we have this access. An­other part of the truth is that we approach God in Him. God deals with us in Him. This is a part of divine truth that will he set forth even more plainly in the later part of this letter.

One of the things that happened on the day Jesus died was the destruction of the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the Holy place. This was an outward sign of the effectiveness of the work of our Lord upon the Cross. It was a sign that the Father was willing to open the door to His throne room to those who would come on the basis of that which Christ had done upon the Cross. The only access any man can have to God is on the basis of the work of Christ upon the Cross. through the High Priestly ministry of our Lord. It is "through Him" that we have access.

OUR ACCESS IS INTO GRACE

"Grace" is the favor of God. It is presented as though it were a place, a large room. The Lord Jesus has brought each believer into this large hall and given them a place in the hall. It is being in a state of divine favor.

This is a change for man. Man is by nature the child of wrath. He lives with the personal knowledge that all he merits is the wrath of God. Grace is just the opposite of the wrath of God. While wrath is what man deserves, those who have been justified have been brought into a place where they enjoy the divine favor.

This is a truth that my own heart finds it difficult to really accept. Do you ac­knowledge and enjoy the privilege? This means that right now, if you have been justified, you are in the place where you are overshadowed by the divine favor. To put it even more in the language of the Scriptures, it means right now that the eternal God bestows upon you the same favor that He has bestowed upon His only Begotten Son from the foundation of the world. Consideration of this truth makes me want to protest that I am a sinner. It makes me want to cry out, "But 0 God, in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing." But God answers, "I know that, but I am receiving you not because of what you have done, or because of who you are, but because of the righteousness of my Son in which you have been clothed.''

In the great doxology that opens the Ephesian letter, the Apostle celebrates the same truth. In offering praise to God, he sings, "To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he that made us accepted in the beloved." "Accepted" is the verbal form of the word "grace". He has graced us in the Beloved. All of the favor, the goodness of God has been bestowed upon us in the Beloved ‑‑‑ that is, in the One that God has eternally loved, even the Lord Jesus Christ.

OUR ACCESS IS A FIXED PRIVILEGE

This is one of those places where we have difficulty conveying in English all that the Apostle is saying in Greek. Both of the verbs in this sentence are Greek perfects. This means that they point to something that has been completed in the past that has abiding results. Let us see if we can transfer this into our English. It could read, ''Through whom we have had access with the result that we permanently have access into this grace,” “where we have stood with the result that we now stand." This is not a smooth translation, nor an acceptable one, but this is exactly the idea that the Apostle meant for us to receive. This is the place into which the Christian has been permanently brought. He now stands and will continue to stand in the favor of God.

The permanence of this is rooted in the very method God used in bringing us into the privilege. How did we find access into this grace? It was through the Lord Jesus Christ. It was on the basis of God's justifying work that we were made acceptable to God and were allowed to enter into His holy presence. God's justifying work is that act whereby He bestows upon me freely the wondrous gift of righteousness when I come to Him by faith, acknowledging that I am an ungodly sinner. I am accepted without any regard to what I am in myself. Any test would have indicated that I was nothing but a sinner. It is the ungodly that He justifies. Since I did not gain this access through human effort, the maintenance of it does not depend upon human effort. I received it by grace, and the privilege continues to be mine by grace.

Does this make me presumptuous?  Never!  However it does bring to me a deep sense of confidence and assurance.  My ability to earn the favor of God is not greater now than it was before God saved me.  It is a cause of humility and gratitude to know that God has bestowed upon me graciously this access into a standing in permanent favor.  Whatever may happen, I can know that God’s attitude toward me is one of favor through the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are some tremendous practical implications to be drawn from this truth.  This truth becomes the very basis of my prayer life.  My approach to God is on the basis of the fact that I have access to Him and stand in His favor through the Lord Jesus Christ.  This means that I do not approach in my own merits, but in the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ.  This means that I do not come before Him to gain His favor, but I have His favor.  This should add boldness to the requests that I make to Him. His heart is already inclined favorable toward me, because I am in the Lord Jesus Christ.

This truth should bring a confident note to my approach to life.  If things depend upon me, then I can never be confident for I know too much about myself.  If they depend upon what Christ has done for me, then I have no reason to fear.  Thank God!  The favor which I now enjoy, the grace which I am now receiving, is not coming to me because of my goodness, but because of His work.  God is treating me as a justified sinner.  This is the basis for my blessed assurance.  It is not based upon something that I feel, for my feelings are so unpredictable, but upon the very place into which God has brought me through His Son.

STAY IN A RUT-by Rev. M.D. Rogers

JOHN 5:2-9

    

REHEARSING REASONS TO

STAY IN A RUT

JOHN 5:2-9

Rev. M.D. Rogers

We come to this text today to watch a man's journey from

adversity to impotency. HIS ADVERSITY led to his despondency, his

despondency lead him to complacency, and his complacency resulted in his impotence.

That's his story, adversity, despondency, complacency, and impotence.

(Setbacks and suffering can keep you in a rut)

In that massive sea of human weakness and personal suffering was a

man who had been sick for thirty-eight years. The King James Version

translates John 5:6 as "He had been now a long time in that case. The

New American Standard says "He had been there a long time".The New

International Version says "When Jesus saw him lying there and

learned that he had been in this condition for a long time". For

thirty eight years he had been sick.

I'm not sure this text says that he had been around that pool for

thirty eight years, but it does say he had been in that condition for

thirty-eight years. Never forget that your physical condition and

your mental attitude live so close to each other that they catch each

other's diseases. This man had been physically infirmed (weak,

feeble and sickly) for so long that his mental attitude had also

become negatively impaired.

Write it in bold letters on the flannel board of your mental

awareness that …GOD HAD ONLY ONE SON WITHOUT SIN. HE HAS NO SON

WITHOUT SUFFERING OR SETBACKS. Adversity makes visitation to all of

our homes. Adversity knows your address. Adversity knows your zip

code. Adversity knows your telephone number. Adversity knows your

cell phone number. Adversity knows your beeper number and your e-mail

address. Adversity shows up as setbacks, hardships, disappointments,

obstacles, heartaches, burdens to bear, and crosses to carry.

All of us at one time or another has a reason to complain, to

express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction or resentment. You don't

know how blessed you are, until you compare your setbacks to the

setbacks of others.

Complain, get angry, cuss and swear, express feelings of pain,

dissatisfaction or resentment. (2)You can RESIGN. You can accept

things as they are, rather than focusing on what things can become.

To resign means to submit to something, accept something without

complaining, to give up. (3) You can REJOICE. Rejoice that your

situation is not worst than it is. Rejoice that you have discovered a

way that won't work. Rejoice that you don't have to go through what

you are going through by yourself. (4) You can RE-AJUST. You can do

what you have to do to keep going.

It bears being said again. What happens to you is not nearly as

important as how you respond to it. You can whine or you can win. You

can cry or you can try. You can be setback by your setback or you can

use your setback as a set up for a come back. Painful Adversity can

keep you in a rut.

PITIFUL DESPONDENCY 

By definition despondency means having lost one's hope or courage. It

means to become discouraged, to feel hopeless and helpless. Listen

again to his man sick for 38 years response in verse seven, "I have

no man (I'm helplessness) , when the water is troubled, to put me

into the pool: But when I am coming, another steppeth down before

me". (It's Hopelessness) . He says "I'm helpless and my situation is

hopeless." HE'S REHEARSING REASONS TO STAY IN A RUT.

When you are hounded by hurts

Pounded by problems

Manhandled by misfortunes

Suffocated by suffering …it's easy to become despondent

Sadly, we have allowed adversity and despondency to steal our self

worth and snatch our joy. But to God we are priceless jewels. Malachi

3:17, " And they shall be mine , saith the Lord of host, in that day

when I make up my jewels ...." In Isaiah 62:3 he reminds us, "Thou

shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a

royal diadem (royal crown) in the hand of thy God."

God wants you to step out of despondency. The scriptures provide

some valuable insight. Observe the STEPS TO STEPPING OUT OF

DESPONDENCY.

1. ACCEPT THE REALITY THAT SETBACKS ARE PART OF EVERYONE'S LIFE-even

yours.

Life isn't fair and bad things to happen to good people. Job 14:1

Jas. 1:2,3

2. TAKE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR ATTITUDE. We control our attitude. It is

not something that is genetically or environmentally determined. Each

of us can decide what our attitude is going to be. We can choose to

have a positive attitude or negative attitude.

4. LET GO OF THINGS THAT DON'T MATTER. Stop wasting energy on being

irritated and annoyed at things that really don't matter. Don't allow

every molehill to become a mountain for you. Remember, that ulcers

are the result of mountain climbing on molehills.

5. FIND PEOPLE WITH WHOM YOU CAN PROCESS THE SITUATION. Seek out

honest and trustworthy supporters who will not sugarcoat their

feedback or divert you with to much sympathy (a little reassurance

and empathy, are, however, always welcome!) Spiritual counseling is

always helpful when you are stuck in a rut. (Prov. 3:13-18; 4:13,14;

4:20-22)

The word of God is the very mind of God on paper. Has it ever

dawned on you that when you open up the word of God you are listening

to the very words of God; that God has shared is thoughts, he has

shared His teaching, he has shared his directions for us right here

on the pages of the Word of God? Do you have a time when you open the

Word and let God speak to you. That's where you need to get your

advice. That's where you need to get your counsel from.

Don't just read the word, but meditate on it. One of the Hebrew

words for meditate means to utter, to murmur. The English word used

in our translation of the Psalms means to MUTTER. In essence it is

being so absorbed in a matter that one talks to oneself. It's like a

tune in your head that won't go away. It is the picture of somebody

having a jingle in your head, and the tune just won't go away. You

keep uttering and muttering it all day. Under the law people would

read the Scriptures and memorize scripture. They would utter and

mutter those words to themselves as they were committing them

to memory.

7. . KEEP LOOKING UP, BECAUSE GOD IS LOOKING DOWN.

James 4:8 "Draw nigh to God and he will draw nigh to you. He is

concerned about what concerns you, because you are his child. You

are a born again, regenerated justified, called out from the world,

baptized, blood bought, hell proof, heaven bound, Spirit filled-

overcoming, conquering son and daughter of God.

YOU ARE....

The apple of His eye

The delight of His Soul

The Love of His heart

If God is for you. If Christ is with you. If the Holy Spirit is in

you. If goodness and mercy is behind you. Why are you allowing

yourself to be overcome by the things that are going on around you.

PERSISTENT COMPLACENCY CAN KEEP

YOU IN A RUT

Being content with your situation)

His despondency lead him to complacency. When a man continues to

feel despondent (helpless and hopeless), and then continue to have

those feelings reinforced: he will eventually become complacent. You

see, the more he feels helpless and hopeless, the easier it will be

for him to become content (satisfied) with his situation.

Discouragement along with inactivity breeds complacency.

When you are not use to doing something you become comfortable with

doing nothing . Listen to this man's response--he replied, "Sir, I

have no man, when the water is stirred up, to put me into the pool:

But while I am coming, another stepped down before me."

He didn't answer the Lord question. He began whining about why he

hadn't gotten in the pool. Instead of listening to the opportunity ,

he reacted to his mentality. Instead of accepting the opportunity ,

he responded to his immobility. His adversity lead him to his

despondency , his despondency lead him to his complacency.

Here is a man who had been in the same place for thirty eight years.

To be in the same place means to be in a continuous condition,

situation, environment, and or wrong relationship. It also means to

be in the same place (or way) of thinking, attitude, behavior and

conduct.

Some of us are "in the same place" when it comes to our involvement,

cooperation and support of the church. WE ARE IN A RELIGIOUS RUT. We

are "in the same place" when it comes to our irregular attendance in

the worship services, and also our sporadic attendance in Bible

classes. We are "in the same place" when it comes to our giving as

we prosper. We are "in the same place" when it comes to winning the

lost, encouraging the discouraged, discipling the new babes in

Christ, getting and reaching personal goals.

THE MAJOR REASON GIVEN FOR STAYING IN A RUT IS "I'M BETTER OFF THAN

MOST PEOPLE I KNOW."

Having no power, purpose or productivity)

The impotent man, in our text, "could not think of what he

could be", but "why he was not"; and "why he was not" told him

that "he could never be" and "the thought of never being" caused him

to become complacent.

What powerful insight from a child. "What good does it do if they

cure the body but the person inside dies?" The person inside dies

when you stop dreaming and setting goals. You become complacent.

BECAUSE COMPLACENCY LEADS TO IMPOTENCY. No power, no purpose, no

productivity.

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The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro by Frederick Douglass

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THE MEN HE CALLED-by Rev.M.D.Rogers

Mark 6:7-13

One of the most amazing features of the Gospels, and of the ministry of the Lord Jesus, is the men He chose to be His disciples. If you and I were putting together a ministry team, these are probably not the kind of people we would choose to represent us. Consider these men for just a moment.

        Several were fishermen. One was a former tax collector for Rome. A couple of them were quick tempered. One of them was a revolutionary. One was a traitor and not a true believer at all. All were very common men.

        These men lacked spiritual understanding. They lacked humility. They lacked faith. They lacked commitment. They lacked power. These men were always getting into trouble; missing the point or Christ’s teachings; lashing out at people who were different; saying the wrong thing; walking away from their commitment to Jesus; among other failures and problems.

        In spite of their weaknesses, the Lord used these men to turn the world upside down for His glory. If He can use them, surely He can use us too! That gives me hope today!

THE MISSION OF THE TWELVE

(Ill. Jesus calls His men to Him and sends them out on a preaching mission. He sent them out two by two and gave them power over demons. Let’s consider their mission.)

A.  They were sent out “two by two”. Matthew 10:2-4 give us some idea of how these men may have been paired up. (Ill. How would you have liked to have been Judas Iscariot’s partner?) There are a couple of reasons Jesus sent them out this way.

·         It fulfilled the requirements of the Law for every testimony to be established by the words of at least two witnesses – Deut. 17:6; 19:15; Num. 35:30.

·         It provided the men with companionship, encouragement and for someone to pray for them.

·         This was the method used by John the Baptist when he sent out his followers, Luke 7:18-19.

·         This has been the method followed by Christians since the days of Jesus. The early church employed this method, Acts 13:2-3; 15:39-41; 19:22.

·         It is still the best method today. When two people go out to share the Gospel together, they can encourage one another, pray for one another and help one another stand in this evil day. When you go out to tell this world about Jesus take a fellow believer with you, it will make the job easier.

B.  We are told that Jesus gave them “power”. This particular word refers to “inherent power”. It has the idea of someone “possessing the right to do a thing and having the power to carry it out.” Jesus gave them His power when He sent them out. In a literal sense, they were an extension of Him as they ministered around the country. Jesus literally multiplied Himself when He sent His disciples out with His power.

In John 14:12 Jesus made a startling statement. He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.” The only reason we are able to see Him do this is because He gives us His power to serve Him in the world today.

Father's Day - Learn About The History and The Most Common Gifts

Father's Day - Learn About The History and The Most Common Gifts

To Reach A Changing Culture Pt.1 -Rev.M.D.Rogers

Don’t get me wrong, we don’t need to change the message. Just the  method. One is sacred. The other is not.

What isn’t as clear is what the future church will look like, and what kind of characteristics will mark those churches.
However, I think a few trends are becoming clear. Not all of these might be correct, but I think the following eleven traits describe the kind of churches that will have a significant impact a decade from now.

Here’s what I see as hallmarks of the churches that will make an impact in the next decade;
1. The ability to say no. One of the reasons churches don’t change is because leaders are unwilling to say no to current members who prefer things the way they were. When you learn to say no to the preferences of some current members, you learn to say yes to a community that is ready to be reached.

2. Outsider focus. Churches that become passionate about people outside their walls will be far more effective than churches that are passionate about keeping the few people they have inside their walls. Better still, you will have a healthier church. We call individuals who are fixated on their wants and needs selfish and immature. Selfless and mature churches will have an impact because of their passion for people God cares about.

3. Quick decision making. If you have a decision making process that’s slow and complicated, you will not be able to keep up with the pace of change needed. Having multi-level approval processes and having to get congregational approval on matters will block innovation. I agree with Jeff Brodie, if you can’t make a decision within 24 hours, your process is too slow .

4. Flexibility. You don’t need to change your mission (for the most part), but you do need to change your methods. Flexible and adaptable churches that can innovate around strategy and different initiatives will have the freedom to make the changes they need to make an impact moving forward.

5. A willingness to embrace smaller to become bigger. Mega-churches will continue to grow, but most of us won’t lead mega-churches. When small churches stop trying to be mega-churches, good things can happen. In fact, more and more larger churches will start embracing smaller venues, locations and partnerships to keep growing. A greater number of smaller venues might be a hallmark of future churches making an impact.

Congratulations Class of 2019

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Little Known Black History Fact: Eubie Blake | Black America Web

The Black Church- Black History Month 2019

All too often only the most negative aspects of African American culture and communities get highlighted.  We hear about the poverty rates, incarceration rates, and high school dropout rates.  We are inundated with images of unruly athletes and raunchy reality TV stars as paradigms of success for Black people.  And we are daily subject to unfair stereotypes and assumptions from a culture that is, in some aspects, still learning to accept us.

As we celebrate Black History Month let us remember Before there were African-American mayors, governors, or even an African-American President, black churches received leadership from African-American Sunday School teachers, deacons, and pastors. These church leaders, along with others, were seen as community leaders, who helped mentor, educate, and counsel many in the black community. Moreover, the black church was not only a place of worship, but served the community as a center for gathering support and encouraging one another through fellowship. The Civil Rights Movement gained significant strength because of the participation of black churches. They became meeting centers for the organization and strategic planning of the effort for equal rights. Regular church members, church lay leaders, and pastors took a position at the forefront of the work to change a racial and ethnically segregated America. The Black churches should be celebrated for their part in influencing a nation to respect and value ethic and racial rights. –Rev.M.D.Rogers

The places that made Black history, in Oakland and Richmond – Oakland North

The places that made Black history, in Oakland and Richmond – Oakland North

Black History Month 2019

Black Churches Renew a Mission: Education - The New York Times

Black Churches Renew a Mission: Education - The New York Times

Who Wants to Be a College President?

How Politics Are Reshaping the College Presidency - The Atlantic

America’s public schools seldom bring rich and poor together – and MLK would disapprove - Boston Business Journal

America’s public schools seldom bring rich and poor together – and MLK would disapprove - Boston Business Journal

BE Modern Man: He Went From the Projects to a Doctoral Degree - Black Enterprise

BE Modern Man: He Went From the Projects to a Doctoral Degree - Black Enterprise

BE MODERN MAN: On a Quest to Connect Young Black Men to Their African Heritage - Black Enterprise

BE MODERN MAN: On a Quest to Connect Young Black Men to Their African Heritage - Black Enterprise

How New Bill Could Help Black Farmers and HBCUs - Black Enterprise

How New Bill Could Help Black Farmers and HBCUs - Black Enterprise

Civil Rights Act 1964

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-act

The Drum Major Instinct

http://pass-theball.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-drum-major-instinct.html

STUCK IN A RUT-Rev.M.D. Rogers

John 5:5

We come to this text this today to watch a man's journey from

adversity to impotency. HIS ADVERSITY led to his despondency, his
despondency lead him to complacency, and his complacency resulted in
his impotence.

That's his story, adversity, despondency, complacency, and impotence.


In that massive sea of human weakness and personal suffering was a
man who had been sick for thirty-eight years. The King James Version
translates John 5:6 as "He had been now a long time in that case. The
New American Standard says "He had been there a long time".The New
International Version says "When Jesus saw him lying there and
learned that he had been in this condition for a long time". For
thirty eight years he had been sick.

I'm not sure this text says that he had been around that pool for
thirty eight years, but it does say he had been in that condition for
thirty-eight years. Never forget that your physical condition and
your mental attitude live so close to each other that they catch each
other's diseases. This man had been physically infirm (weak,
feeble and sickly) for so long that his mental attitude had also
become negatively impaired.

Write it in bold letters on the flannel board of your mental
awareness that …GOD HAD ONLY ONE SON WITHOUT SIN. HE HAS NO SON
WITHOUT SUFFERING OR SETBACKS. Adversity makes visitation to all of
our homes. Adversity knows your address. Adversity knows your zip
code. Adversity knows your telephone number. Adversity knows your
cell phone number. Adversity knows your beeper number and your e-mail
address. Adversity shows up as setbacks, hardships, disappointments,
obstacles, heartaches, burdens to bear, and crosses to carry.

All of us at one time or another has a reason to complain, to
express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction or resentment. You don't
know how blessed you are, until you compare your setbacks to the
setbacks of others.

Complain, get angry, cuss and swear, express feelings of pain,
dissatisfaction or resentment. (2)You can RESIGN. You can accept
things as they are, rather than focusing on what things can become.
To resign means to submit to something, accept something without
complaining, to give up. (3) You can REJOICE. Rejoice that your
situation is not worst than it is. Rejoice that you have discovered a
way that won't work. Rejoice that you don't have to go through what
you are going through by yourself. (4) You can RE-AJUST. You can do
what you have to do to keep going.

It bears being said again. What happens to you is not nearly as
important as how you respond to it. You can whine or you can win. You
can cry or you can try. You can be setback by your setback or you can
use your setback as a set up for a come back. Painful Adversity can
keep you in a rut.
PITIFUL DESPONDENCY

By definition despondency means having lost one's hope or courage. It
means to become discouraged, to feel hopeless and helpless. Listen
again to his man sick for 38 years response in verse seven, "I have
no man (I'm helplessness) , when the water is troubled, to put me
into the pool: But when I am coming, another steppeth down before
me". (It's Hopelessness) . He says "I'm helpless and my situation is
hopeless." HE'S REHEARSING REASONS TO STAY IN A RUT.

When you are hounded by hurts
Pounded by problems
Manhandled by misfortures
Suffocated by suffering …it's easy to become despondent


Sadly, we have allowed adversity and despondency to steal our self
worth and snatch our joy. But to God we are priceless jewels. Malachi
3:17, " And they shall be mine , saith the Lord of host, in that day
when I make up my jewels ...." In Isaiah 62:3 he reminds us, "Thou
shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a
royal diadem (royal crown) in the hand of thy God."

God wants you to step out of despondency. The scriptures provide
some valuable insight. Observe the STEPS TO STEPPING OUT OF
DESPONDENCY.

1. ACCEPT THE REALITY THAT SETBACKS ARE PART OF EVERYONE'S LIFE-even
yours.
Life isn't fair and bad things to happen to good people. Job 14:1
Jas. 1:2,3

2. TAKE OWNERSHIP OF YOUR ATTITUDE. We control our attitude. It is
not something that is genetically or environmentally determined. Each
of us can decide what our attitude is going to be. We can choose to
have a positive attitude or negative attitude.

4. LET GO OF THINGS THAT DON'T MATTER. Stop wasting energy on being
irritated and annoyed at things that really don't matter. Don't allow
every molehill to become a mountain for you. Remember, that ulcers
are the result of mountain climbing on molehills.

5. FIND PEOPLE WITH WHOM YOU CAN PROCESS THE SITUATION. Seek out
honest and trustworthy supporters who will not sugarcoat their
feedback or divert you with to much sympathy (a little reassurance
and empathy, are, however, always welcome!) Spiritual counseling is
always helpful when you are stuck in a rut. (Prov. 3:13-18; 4:13,14;
4:20-22)

Story of the Month

https://www.simplicityparenting.com/story-of-the-month/

Rainer Maria Rilke

And now we welcome the new year. Full of things that have never been..

2019