The Christmas Dawn: An Interpretive Prequel

The following video is a montage of Bible scriptures adapted from the NKJV and set to the music of Red Rider, The Moody Blues, Mariah Carey, and Kirk Franklin. The Christmas Dawn is my interpretation of a prequel to the story of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and his eventually birth at the appointed time in a little town called Bethlehem. Photographs were shot mostly with our smartphones or other digital devices over time.  Following the embed feed, you should find the scriptural references to the video.  Merry Christmas, and may the Lord bless and keep you in the new year.

The Christmas Dawn (of Light and Darkness)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1,2)

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (John 1:3)

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  (John 1:4)

[Accordingly], in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Gen. 1:1)

The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Gen. 1:2)

Then God said, “Let there be light;” and there was light.  And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.  (Gen. 1:3,4)

[Because] God is light, in Him is no darkness at all.  (I John 1:5b)

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.  (John 1:5)

That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world [of whom John bore witness].  (John 1:9)

Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. (Heb. 1:3)

[However,] He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  (John 1:10,11)

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.  (John 1:12,13)

For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.  For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason he is not ashamed to call them brethren.  (Heb 1:10,11)

[For He declares,] “Sanctify them by Your truth.  Your word is truth.” (John 17:17)

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.  (John 1:14)

And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we many know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ [who is the Word of life].  This is the true God and eternal life.  (I John 1:1, I John 5:20)

And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.  (II Pet. 1:19)

[That] born to you this day in the city of David [is] a Savior, who is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11)

Civil Disobedience

Tiffany and I have been trying to retrain our dogs Diego and Salaye to stay off of the furniture.  We hope by doing this that we can some day get new furniture to keep nice; to invite guests into our home to sit and not walk away “hairy-fied.”  “How is that working,” you might ask.  Well, as you can see “someone” is not minding me.

Salaye only tends to disobey when it seems fitting that she can sit closer to me.  She yearns that connection because she seeks my comfort and companionship.  She hates not being near, and being on the floor next to me is not near enough.  I can feel her diaphragm pulsating against my side as she breathes, resting.

Where do you find rest?  Where is your comfort? Are you satisfied with being away from the Master, or are you willing by faith to step across the boundaries to meet Him where He is?  What barriers in your own life have you erected that hinders you from approaching or returning to the Father’s side?  He lovingly and patiently awaits your return with open arms.  Seek Him, and you’ll discover that He’s always been near.

New to Windows Live Writer, but Not to the Importance of Strong Fathers

Hey. Just testing out this application for updating my blog from Windows Live Writer.  Maybe this will be a good way to edit my blog.  However, so far I’m not impressed. I’m simply typing into a template that mimics the color scheme, typeface, and panel juxtaposition that is setup on the Blogger site.  I don’t see anything else that I’ve written or posted on the blog from this software. I can insert stuff like this picture of me and my pops at church in Detroit. 

This picture was taken earlier this year, I believe, during a special anniversary for the pastor of my dad’s church.  Dad has journeyed a long way to get to this point in his life. I praise the Lord for him because despite the disappointments, personal mistakes, and other trials that has marked his life, he has never stopped being a father.  He loves me and my sister very much as well as our spouses.  He loves his granddaughter with a papa’s love.  He loves my mom with a husband’s love.  He’s not perfect, but he’s proven to be strong.  He is a man of God.  And men of God are never perfect (except Jesus of course).  However, men of God strive to be more like Him. 

Windows Writer Live is not impressive, but Winfred Lee Carter is impressive; not because he is perfect, but because the Perfect One resides in him. Love you dad.

Pillars Addendum

I recently read a snippett in USA Today about Cam Newton, rookie quarterback for the Carolina Panthers. It read that he was the first college player since 1950 to win a national championship (Auburn), garner the Heisman Trophy, and secure the first round draft pick into the NFL. Some of you know that there was no "NFL" as we know it now in 1950, but that's not the point. Nor am I going to get into the debate over alleged NCAA violations and accusations, which is a stark media contrast to what the media is so ready to blush about now. I simply thought to myself, "Wow! What an accomplishment." Cam Newton is also keeping the football gurus salivated with a tall order of personal achievements on the field despite a 2-6 record as a Carolina Panther. As I reflected on this, I couldn't help but think about what a role-model Cam Newton could be to so many kids. Then...reality check.

Many African-Americans are still looking for heroic icons, living legends who are also black, for our children to look up to and whom they could also emulate. There are many. But in the mad rush to catapult men and women into that role on accomplishments and media exposure alone, many overlook the every day people, the mundane workadays who fittingly model hardwork, responsibility, and fairplay. Part of the problem (and perhaps the whole) is the breakdown of the family and the absence of "real" fathers in the home and men of "real" honor and dignity in many of our communities. I say this not to spite all of the hardworking, child-rearing, faith-building, hope-instilling, virtuous women who have mothered and modelled love, perseverance, and care for centuries. This is a call for men (who have not already done so) to step up and to reclaim a God-ordained stewardship entrusted to them. Wake the sleeping giants and let the pillars rise. If Cam Newton fits the bill, fine; but let's start with the normal Newtons first. But question (abrupt and perhaps awkward): does this person necessarily have to be black?

The Urban Remnant: An Abstract (Part One)

The solutions proposed by our society will not result in the world becoming a better place. – Dr. Jim Lang

If my people, who are called by my name, would humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive them of their sins, and will heal the land.
II Chronicles 7:14

Within the social and spiritual context of the city, what is needful? As it relates to life and godliness, nothing short of the effectual fervent working of the Holy Spirit in the lives of its people by the way of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, through faith by God’s grace, will bring about the needed spiritual awakening and transformation of “da hood”. Beyond popular belief, the harsh, physical landscapes of the inner-city are not a direct reflection of the inner turmoil and emotional conflict of those that live there. No, if that were so, every nook and cranny of the American geographic would be a virtual wasteland of man’s spiritual condition and depravity. However, the effects of sin on our world and in the city are evident, and it takes shape in many different forms, particularly in a large number of communities in the city.

For instance, many predominantly black, inner-city communities in the U.S. are currently experiencing the adverse effects of imminent domain and widespread gentrification more than ever before (Micah 2:1,2). Years of gun violence, drug trafficking and abuse, failing schools, economic injustice, technological divide, racial parity and generational poverty have all slowly plagued many of these communities since desegregation and “white flight”; most have never recovered. Hence, the changing economy of neighborhoods, the lack of viable resources, and the apathy resulting from crime, broken families, job loss, poor housing and lack of education contribute immensely to the blight that we see, as well as experience. All of this, then, is the revealed side-effect of sin at work in the world and in the life of the inner-city.

Over the past 25 or more years, epidemic levels of hardship, blight, brain drain and spiritual anemia present in the black community have supplanted programmatic efforts to act on the social gospel of “Love thy neighbor as thyself”. Moreover, the presence of the local church seems to be increasingly inept and impotent in the face of these dire challenges, thus appearing to be “more heavenly minded than any earthly good”. In fact, with the number of mega churches increasing, less bible-believing, doctrinally sound congregations are being planted in inner-city communities. More congregations are moving out of “da hood” into bigger and better facilities located elsewhere. It does not help that most of the membership of many of the local churches that have remained commute to Sunday services from other neighborhoods and surrounding suburbs in the metropolitan area.

Adding worldly insult to spiritual injury, many of these communities have been deemed “hopeless”. School districts have commissioned school closings; city ordinances have made way for commercial building projects as well as housing whose affordability remains far out of reach of the pocket books of families and residents who have long endured. Subversively, local governments change the face of these communities and push the indigent further to the fringes of our already marginalized society (Isaiah 5:8). However, there is hope for the hopeless.

To make matters worse, many churches are preaching a deceptive gospel of prosperity (some out of greed) and a “cheap” kind of grace that speaks only to the love of God and His blessings, but never addresses the deeper heart issues behind man’s spiritual condition within the scope of “da hood”. These false prophets, then, rob the people both financially and spiritually because they do not understand the truth (Micah 2:8,9). Hence, many who live in these broken communities question God’s love and equate “blessings” with God’s favor.

Jesus Christ proclaims, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10) Jesus has taught us that He is Life. Everything else, then, is not life at all. However, the thief has been busy in the inner-city. According to Charles Lyons, pastor of Armitage Baptist Church in Chicago, “Urban evangelism is the biblical strategy to reach the world.” God’s biblical call to reach the world, then, begins at the lights on the hill. Urban Remnant has responded to the call, and like the prophet Nehemiah, we seek to repair the walls surrounding the city and to restore worship to the temple of God. Our mission is to return to the field of our broken communities in order to promote its emancipation from the bondage of apathy, hostility, fear and sin; and to cultivate the transformation of its people into the likeness of Christ. We will accomplish this by the power of God and through the empowering of the Holy Spirit, preaching the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and making disciples who will pursue holiness and in turn spread the Word. This call to renewal, then, will spur a sense of urgency to actively rebuild, educate and invigorate our communities in order to bring about financial peace, economic stability, academic excellence and spiritual awakening.

An Urban Remnant

A remnant is defined as the leftover or the small part that remains after the main part no longer exists. About nine years ago when my wife and I still lived in Detroit, we and our friends discussed the growing trend of the city's population drainage. This version of flight appeared to find its effect in a number of factors: increased blight, failing schools, poor city services, high property taxes, etc. As brain-drain increased, we also observed another trend, though alarming to us, that was observable for several years. Increasingly, many of the local churches in the city were becoming hubs for commuter traffic. What I mean by this is that most of the members of these local churches, particular in the large historical congregations and ministries, commuted from other cities or neighborhoods to attend worship services. We saw this trend as the growing barrier to local churches effectively reaching the communities they served with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Essentially, the people of God were not living amongst the people they served.

Our urban communities are changing everyday. The name Urban Remnant concerns itself with the city and the people who choose to remain despite. Its about the Ministry of Reconciliation lived out in the broken places. Its about making disciples, bearing fruit that remains, and positively affecting the spiritual growth of our local communities through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This Urban Remnant seeks to spearhead a forum for discussing these matters and developing biblical strategies to address them.

Better than Life

Thought for the Morning: Tuesday, November 18, 2008


As I prayed this morning in my classroom, God impressed on my heart a thought that I seldom think about as I negotiate through a world system that emphasizes the needs of “self” over the needs of others. Although Christ promises us abundant life, His purpose for our lives is not that we have better ones, but that in His name, to His Father’s glory, and for the increase of His kingdom, I make better the lives of others. David expressed in the Psalms his praises to God for His loving-kindness: a deep, unselfishly loving faithfulness. It is this loving-kindness, he says, that is better than life itself (Psalm 63: 3).

What is my life? Does it consist of the abundance of things and the satisfaction of self-interests? Or is it Christ who is my life? Because Christ is my life, I have the ability by the power of the Holy Spirit to comprehend God’s loving-kindness toward me (Ephesians 3: 14 – 21). God’s provision (physical needs, spiritual formation, and emotional support) for me in all things ensures that I will be uniquely taken care of and it frees me to place focus on the lives of others. Hence, if I understand God’s deep love and unfettered commitment to me, which is my life, then by the power of His Spirit, I can share that deep love and unfettered commitment toward others. When I allow nothing to be done out of selfish ambition and conceit, but in lowliness of mind esteem others better than myself, then I am fulfilling the second commandment: to love thy neighbor as thyself.

Wisdom: the Value of Learning in the Face of Frustration.

An educator that shuns education, that's a travesty; but an educator that seeks to avoid validation, that's a trailblazer.
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Wisdom is the best education.
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When we were denied equal access to quality education, we as a people girded our loins and mustered strength for the good fight: to honor schooling and to value learning despite inferior resources and uphill battles for equality in the face of Jim Crow. Nearly fifty-five years since Brown v. the BOE, mostly every person has equal access to free and public K-12 education without discrimination or written rules that deny that access. Though the system is imperfect (look at the inequities in state school funding), in most cases the system, its tools, and resources available to students, families, teachers, and communities are undeniably better than those under "separate, but equal." However, something has been lost.

We no longer have the faith to fight the good fight in the face of the present trials that many of students in urban schools encounter. I'm not speaking about rallies, or marches, or protests, or legislation, or fiery dialogues at school board meetings and collective bargaining tables. We can do that. I'm speaking about the wholesale honor of schooling and the value of learning that, despite the challenges, familes instilled in their children. Teachers valued the learner more than themselves, and more so in our communities (I believe) than anywhere else because of those past challenges of racism and inequality. There was more autonomy.

Today, the high school drop-out and low graduation rates are staggering amongst many urban, African-American and Latino/a students. There are more students wrack with behavior and conduct disorders (both diagnosed and undiagnosed) that impede learning. Social and community issues plague our schools. Many inner-city educators are tired, some are simply there: to sit on tenure; no longer to be trailblazers in their classrooms to rally on behalf of their children. The system is broken. Teachers are broken. Students are broken. Families are broken. Communities are broken. The people rage, and the spirits are broken. We are broken.

No longer do we thrive and survive the fiery furnace. We simply burn like chaff in the blaze of a violent crucible. Why? It is my belief that the collective community of many inner-city student bodies perish in the flames because its people fail to believe, hope, trust for something better; and to value learning.

Of course I believe that the faith of our fathers saw us through many dangers, toils, and snares; and that mainly the God of our fathers through the Gospel of Christ. Yet, not all school communities are imperiled like many in urban or rural communities. They are broken in other ways. Yet there is something to be said about the faith, sweat, blood, tears, and prayers that blazed a trail toward actualizing that which our fathers envisioned as "better." Noah trusted God for that which was better. Abraham trusted God for that which was better. Moses trusted God for that was better. Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Dubois, Carter G. Woodson, A. Phillip Randolph, Mary McCleod Bethune-Cookman, Dr. Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Cesar Chavez; each one hoped for something better as the world raged. And within their spheres those hopes expanded, dreams realized in the lives of people who wanted "better."

We have to want better to get better. The best education is wisdom, as the Proverbist writes. "Get wisdom." It makes life all the more better.

The Dream Act

1 Chronicles 16:23-24

23 "Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day.

24 "Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples."
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Over the past year, Illinos Senator Dick Durbin (D) and Utah Senator Orin Hatch (R) have championed a bipartisan bill that they believe would create a path toward citizenship for children of parents who've entered the country illegally. The "Dream Act" outlines a six year long pathway for qualifying, undocumented children, most of whom had no choice whether to come here or not, to become U.S. citizens if they complete the requirements toward a four year college degree or military service.

I would consider myself somewhat conservative when it comes to many political issues, including immigration policy. However, this bill hopes to fix at least one aspect of an already broken, fragmented policy: the dream of thousands of children who had no other choice than to follow their families illegally into the United States. According to Nick, a comment editor on the bill's web portal, nearly 65,000 children of the hundreds of thousands of high school seniors who graduate each year do not realize the same dreams that most graduates envision for themselves because of their illegal status. I personally know children who have either graduated from high school or are near graduation who are affected by this. I believe that the intention of this bill is a good one; one that extends grace, places no limits on responsible governance and regulation, and grants opportunity to hardworking students with long-term dreams. Repair the loophole of identity theft, and its potential to fuel fear of "terror;" and this bill (law) will be even better.

To those of us who are believers, disciples of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we are commanded to fulfill the great commission; to make disciples through the gospel of our God. This is part of our identity as strangers who were invited into an eternal citizenship, one "where moths and rust do not destroy, nor thieves break in and steal." We should be asking questions like, "How does immigration policy in our country impact the kingdom of God?" Agree or disagree, in a post-modern world where urban communities are becoming more diverse and multicultural, we should engage in the issues that I believe God wants His own to also address: in truth and in love. In doing so responsibly, biblically, and joyfully, we in turn invite friendship and dialogue from a dying, broken world in need of redemption.

God's Math

Mark 10:1-9

1  Getting up, He went from there to the region of Judea and beyond the Jordan; crowds gathered around Him again, and, according to His custom, He once more began to teach them.
2  Some Pharisees came up to Jesus, testing Him, and began to question Him whether it was lawful for a man to divorce a wife. 3  And He answered and said to them, "What did Moses command you?" 4  They said, "Moses permitted a man TO WRITE A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE AND SEND her AWAY." 5  But Jesus said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart he wrote you this commandment. 6  "But from the beginning of creation, God MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE. 7  "FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, 8  AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH; so they are no longer two, but one flesh.

9  "What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate."
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As my wife and I approach our eleventh (11th) anniversary, I am reminded that in God's marriage math, 1 + 1 = 1. Too often I take this for granted in a culture that, one, does not honor marriage between a man and a woman quite the same as He does; two, sees couples primarily as indivuals who are interdependent from a systematic and functional viewpoint; and three, misunderstands God's primary plan for the roles of husband and wife in the context of oneness. This is a context of love: a covenant and not a contract. Contracts carry stipulations and limits responsibility. Covenants establish agreements entered into voluntarily by two parties that identify and affirm their relationship one to another and acknowledge their binding, loving commitment one to another, even if one party member fails to keep it. From this viewpoint, my wife and I can celebrate the oneness we share, despite the differences, despite the disappointments, despite the despair because the covenant is one of love unconditional and not just a partnership of equals. The new math of marriage does not compute and too often ends with irreconciliable differences. The old math works just fine if husbands and wives affirm God's creative model for exemplifying His ideal relationship between Himself and His people. Under the blood, a Redeeming God plus humbled people is always equal to ONE.

The Law-Abiding Citizen

The Law-Giver has declared that none abides by the Law He provided humanity. Instead, he continuously breaks it. When it came to the relationship between humanity and God's righteous decree, we were outlaws. Then the Law-Abider stepped in, fulfilling all righteousness on the law-breakers' behalf. We were two thieves on a cross: venomous, vile, rebellious. The third Man was the Son of Man: innocent, scapegoated, broken for us. He took our due punishment upon Himself, as one who didn't break the law, and bore our own iniquities.

The sign on the post read "INRI," which in Aramaic was translated KING OF THE JEWS. It hung above the Law-Abider's thorn-crowned head. One thief continued to hurl insults at the on-lookers. He also taunted the KING to come down from the cross if He was truly the Son of God. However the other, penitent in heart, defended the God-Man before the crowd. The outlaw turned with somber eyes to the KING and inquired of Him, "Will you remember me when you enter your kingdom?" Jesus, eyes swollen shut and face beating unrecognizable, assured him, "Today, you will be with me in paradise."

Though we ourselves can no more follow perfectly the perfect law of the holy God than a camel can pass through the eye of a needle, Jesus, the Son of Man, the Son of God, the Law-Abider accomplished this. Yet He alone was wounded for our sin, for our lawlessness. Greater still, this one act of sacrificial love made available to all of us an assurance that we would be with Him. If only we'd simply acknowledge our guilt with penitent hearts and believe by faith that Jesus alone atones for our sin. By the power of His resurrection, we who were once thieves now become citizens of an eternal country where none can break in and steal. And the Law-Abider enters into our lives to empower us who stole to steal no more.

The War Against Girls?

"After decades of fighting for a woman's right to choose the outcome of her own pregnancy, it is difficult to turn around and point out that women are abusing that right."
-Mara Hvistendahl

Just read a thought-provoking review of Mara Hvistendahl's book entitled Unnatural Selection: Choosing Boys Over Girls, and the Consequences of a World Full of Men in The Wall Street Journal. What do you think, and where do you stand?

To read Jonathan V. Last's review, "The War Against Girls," click the link.

Forgiveness: the Great Exchange

The following article is the heart of a message I shared at our large, multi-generational, bi-annual family reunion during the evening banquet in August 2010.
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Edwin Hubbel Chapin, a 19th Century American minister once said, "Never does the human soul appear so strong and noble as when it forgoes revenge and dares to forgive injury."

I posit to you that a family that is rooted and grounded in love; a family that practices unity, is a family that exercises one of the greatest exchanges humankind has ever known: forgiveness.

By inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul writes to those who believe on the name of Jesus in his letter to the Ephesians, "Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, [along] with malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you" (4:31-32). Jesus commanded His disciples to forgive, and by extension commands us to do the same, in the Gospel according to Luke, "Watch yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him. If he repents, forgive him. Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times returns to you saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him." And His disciples said to the Lord, "Increase our faith." So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you" (Luke 17:3-6). No matter how small the faith, God has given us the power to forgive. It is in the forgiving of those who have offended us that we begin the process of healing.

Esau forgave. Joseph forgave. Jesus forgives. The healing of wounded relationships also involve humility on the part of the offender. Jacob humbled himself before Esau, though he tricked him into forsaking his birthright. The children of Israel humbled themselves before Joseph, though they sold him into slavery and considered him dead. And we must humble ourselves before Jesus, though we were still sinners, the sinless Christ having died in our places. For the penalty of sin is death.

Finally, the exchange happens when in humility we are ready to forgive others' offenses; prepared to seek out forgiveness, to admit wrongs, and to confess our own offenses; and ready to accept and provide love, grace, and mercy.

Someone once posited that "time heals all wounds." I declare to you that time alone heals nothing. Some wounds cut deep, leaving the offended damaged, maimed, disabled, even dead: lacking trust, bearing trauma, emotionally shipwrecked.

Rose Kennedy, the matron of the famed Kennedy political dynasty and mother of both John F. And Robert Kennedy, did not agree either. Knowing the pain of losing three sons, she once said, "The wounds remain. In time, the mind, the mind, protecting its sanity, covers them with scar tissue, and the pain lessens. But it is never gone."

Our family is not the church, for the church is the body of Christ. We are members one to another if Christ dwells in us, members of a new family with brothers and sisters whose sin is forgiven. And His love covers a multitude of sin. When we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for us who were ungodly. He was wounded for our iniquities. See the nail prints is His hands and feet? The scar on His side? God demonstrated His own love towards us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. The great exchange is life on life. We rejoice because those who are Christ's have now received reconciliation. And we too can be reconciled one to another.

On the False Belief that Jobs Are the Solution to Spiritual Deficits

Jobs will not fix problems brought on by spiritual deficits. Corruption still takes place in the work place, no matter where one finds himself in the employment totem pole. Though unemployment and the crime rate are high and jobs are needed, the issue for those whose lives "run amuck" is one of the heart. Change the heart and its attitudes, then changes in the man and in his behavior will occur. If I simply change the environment without changing the heart, then I'm only using a band-aid to fix mortal wounds. The bleeding is internal.

By believing that jobs are the solution to fixing criminal behavior by black youths is to assume that all young, unemployed African Americans are at their best subject to criminal behavior and activiy. That's simply not true. We should all work hard to ensure that opportunities toward successful transition into adulthood are accessible to our youth in the city. And there's a wide range of programs, free and fee-based, that help address transition. These programs and opportunites could perhaps aid in temporarily alleviating dysfunction, but all in all, if the deep-ceded, spiritual and moral deficits remain without progressive or immediate changes of the heart, then they've "missed the mark."

The Lawless and the City

1 John 3:4 - Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.

Matthew 24:12 - "Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold."

Romans 4:7,8 - [7] "BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN,
AND WHOSE SINS HAVE BEEN COVERED. [8] BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOSE SIN THE LORD WILL NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT."
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God ordains local authorities to serve and protect its citizens as well as to enforce laws. Although the Law-Giver condemns abuse of power and those who practice injustice, he is NOT in the business of condoning all-out anarchy, or in other words, lawlessness. That said, I am angry about recent incidents in the city; incidents that Chicago police and local news agencies have called "flash mobs," where large groups of young people commit random acts of violence upon unsuspecting "law-abiding" citizens in outdoor locales near or along Lake Shore Dr. I hate to write it this way (and many might say, "Then don't write it"), but these thug, teenaged, thrillseekers are terrorizing people who never accepted the invitation to terror. And unfortunately I have to report (and some may say, "You don't HAVE to") that sadly most of these young people are African American and male. Sadder still is that a few of them have been as young as thirteen years old.

Now I would be naïve to say of such a phenomenon like this, "It is what it is," shrugging it off with nonchalance. As an African American writer, I would be naïve to defend mob action by a few groups of black youths with a veil of excuses (many that enable rather than empower) that point out lacks of opportunity toward transition to productive adulthood. However, someone else's civil liberties have been violated, and the victims have the potential to be as ethnically diverse as is Devon Avenue. These youths' crimes are targeted, yet colorblind. But the violence only further perpetuates the deep-ceded stereotypes of black youths being violent and having no regard for the law; and it gives more fodder for the careless or perhaps racist writers, pundits, spin doctors, and commentators to fuel more fear on top of the terror that seems to already reign on the Magnificent Mile, in the Gold Coast, in Lake View, and mind you, in Englewood where violent crime is never new. But that never makes it right. These writers might write, "Take that back to the South Side. It doesn't belong here." But does violent crime and "lawlessness" ever really BELONG anywhere?

I read a quote in the Red Eye from a heart-broken father about the death of his son, and essentially it went like this: "The police got scared, they over-reacted, and they killed my son;" this in relationship to another recent incident where a teen confronted police after being ordered to drop what was in his hand. It was dark, the youth had reached for the object as he made charge, and, according to Chicago Police, had been warned. An officer shot him dead. The object: a cellphone. In our own disobedience when confronted by God about our own lawlessness, we only kill ourselves because we falsely believe that we can save ourselves from His sovereign presence and authority. We make excuses for our own lawlessness rather than own up, "I was scared, I overreacted, and now I killed myself for disobeying the righteous commandment."

All of us, humanity, by nature practice lawlessness because lawlessness is sin. "All have sinned and fallen short of God's glory;" have never met his standard of righteousness (Romans 3:23). Sin has never truly BELONGED. It was never truly God's intention for sinful man to remain sinful, but to renounce sin and be reconciled unto Him. This reconciliation is found through the blood of His Son Jesus who bore our sin and lawlessness and nailed them to a tree. Thieves, like the "flash-mob," only come to steal, to kill, and to destroy. However, Jesus came that we may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10). And yes, this promise is for everyone, including the thug, teenaged thrillseeker whose lawlessness is just as evident before man and media as our lawlessness is before a holy and righteous God.

Life in the Middle

"Where there is no guidance the people fall,
But in abundance of counselors there is victory." (Prov. 11:14)

The absence of guidance in the life of people or communities, whether that be the family, a classroom, a neighborhood, or a nation, prepares them for a descent from that which is ideal: a platform for concerted, wisdom-driven success. It leads into a downward spiral of disarray, despair, depression, and defeat. As some might say, "Epic fail."

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A "Bay of Pigs" Strategy
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A military unit entering battle without a lead officer, a pointman, guiding the mission is sure to fail; as is one lacking clear direction. Success in the spirit-filled life is no less different and requires a "clear and present" guidance in order to secure victory.

When I shun the guidance of God's Word, put away godly, biblical counsel, or ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit, I am guranteed to fall. In fact, "when pride comes, then comes dishonor" (Prov. 11:2). Dishonor encompasses a failure that in most cases is preventable, if only one would heed direction and wisdom.
Not only is true success marked by wise counsel, it is also driven by right counsel. If I surround myself with fools and ask them for direction or advice, then I should expect failure. However, if I surround myself with those whose wise counsel come from integrity (ideally spiritual, biblical counsel), and heed it as that which is for my good, then success is closer. It doesn't mean that there won't be bumps along the way, but in the end there is victory.

Ultimately, a life hidden in Christ, indwelt by the Spirit, and led by the wisdom of God's Word as empowered by the gospel is a victorious life. But that's the beginning and the end of the journey. How will you choose to live in the middle?

Our Greatest Exercise

The greatest common practice that Jesus followers could ever exercise is the discipline of prayer; prayer unhindered by sin, biblically sound in nature, and limitless in its bounds. However, that which should be common practice amongst the faithful should ne'er be rendered mundane or "common place." For in the mundanity of one's personal prayer life lives the vanity of religious ritual; ritual void of real relationship; ritual void of spiritual rigor, fortitude, and fervor. "Communion with God is the one need of the soul beyond all other needs; prayer is the beginning" (Hughes, 72). So we draw near to God to daily seek His face with humbleness of heart trusting that in the intimacy of His presence our prayers may be found in the center of His will. It is there that we find Him, waiting.

Our Identity as Marked by the Gospel of Our God

http://bible.us/n/5Ihk

We marry our identities to so many different things that are contrary to who we really are or were meant to be. And too often have these marriages begun with shotgun weddings. However, the Apostle Paul encouraged believers in 1 Corinthians 9:17-23 to reflect on their identity, with the gospel in view, by inviting them, and more appropriately us, to see a snapshot of his way of life.

A part of this identity that Paul described is demonstrated in our humble service to others as empowered by the gospel of our God. "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more" (19). Who we are is married to "whose" we are; and though it is in our very nature to be servants to none other than ourselves,
the life that is now married to the gospel of Jesus Christ is one that is hidden in His identity. Jesus Himself "did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). And in His identity we are empowered to serve others with the gospel in view.

(22b) "I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some.

(23)  I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it."

To "become all things" refer again to this identity, and it was Paul's clear goal to identify and connect with people: thoughtfully, emphatically with the gospel in view. Who am I willing to become in order to reach others?

"All men" means all kinds of people without discrimination or prejudice. The gospel is for everyone (Acts 1:8). Where am I willing to go to reach others; and what cultural barriers am I willing to cross or bridge to reach others?

"By all means" refer to various kinds of methods to proactively pursue people. Prioritizing the gospel is key in these approaches. What methods am I willing to employ to reach others?

"Do all things" refer to his purpose. It was Paul's constant life goal to ensure that everything he did, every action commenced, and every step taken was done through the lens of the gospel. We, too, in a post-modern culture should find ourselves engaged in such a way in our own lives. In what ways does my life engage the culture right now; and what am I willing to do to ensure that it continues?

He did all of this in order to become a "fellow partaker" in the work of the gospel. "Fellow" regards partnership: with God and His work and with those who participate in that work. "Partaker" means participant. He wanted to be an engaged and active participant in the work that God had not only called him to, but to the same Lord that counted him worthy, having entrusted to him the stewardship of that work. What has God entrusted me with in my stewardship of the gospel and of my identity in its work?

Ultimately, the end goal of the life whose identity is married to the gospel of Jesus Christ is that "by all means some [will be] saved." As Christians, our very lives should be marked by that which is "the power of God unto salvation to those who would believe" (Romans 1:16). This is who we are. Moreover, this is who we were meant to be.
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Questions
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1. In what ways can I become all things to the people who are in my sphere of influence?

2. What are some approaches and methods that will assist me in using all means to reach others?

3. Is my life mark by a prioritization of the gospel, and do I do all things through that lens?

4. Am I engaging the culture while in partnership with God, His work, and His people from a biblical worldview?

The Four Points: Evan Roberts (1904)

In 1904, a small town in the British Isles (Wales) experienced what many have called one of the greatest spiritual revivals in modern church history. This revival would far expand beyond its city limits and usher in the transformative work of the Spirit of God in the lives of those who would repent from sin and believe the truth. One of the figures that the Father used to spark that revival was a young man named Evan Roberts. With a burden for people, Roberts and a small group of friends began to minister, as the Holy Spirit led, the Gospel of our God in a way that intended a fixation on Jesus and right standing with God, rather than one that was focused on the programs, people, and preaching of the camp meetings themselves. In this, he drafted four simple tenets that would later be called "The Four Points" that he admonished people to consider:

1. All sin must be confessed to God and repented of.
The church has to be cleansed—the Lord’s bride would be with out spot so there would be no room for compromise with sin. If there is anything in our lives about which there is even doubt as to weather it is good or evil—then cast it off!

2. There must be no cloud between the believer and God.
Have you forgiven everybody? If not don’t expect forgiveness for your own sins. The Scripture is clear; we cannot be forgiven until we have forgiven. Unforgiveness separates us from God.

3. We must obey the Holy Spirit. Do what the Spirit prompts you to do.
Do what the Spirit prompts you to do. Prompt, implicit, unquestioning obedience to the Spirit is required if we are going to be used by Him.

4. There must be public confessions of Christ as Savior.
This is not a one time incident after our salvation experience or baptism—for the Christian it is a way of life. (Evan also believed that there was a difference between confession and profession).

If I/we hope to see personal, spiritual revival as well as corporate, spiritual revival in my/our lives and in my/our cities, we must consider and affirm that God is sovereign and that He desires all men come to the knowledge of the truth. Am I allowing the Holy Spirit to empower me in such a way that God is then able to strip away those things in my life that hinder His work in me, and transverely affect my spiritual impact on those around me? This takes a trusting ear that listens for His voice, a humble surrender to His will, and a faithful obedience to His call.

Surrender Today

Set to the song "River Rise" by india.arie, "Surrender Today" is a montage of words and pictures all leading to a crescendo of the human soul: our own deep need for surrender.

Our Response: Obedience

Prayer is becoming more important to me because I realize that I haven't really prayed as consistently as I should have over the course of my Christian life; that is, in a designated time of devoted prayer.  Do I pray? Yes. However, it has been more in the conversational, throughout the day, meditative/reflective, kinds of prayers.  I've struggled most of my Christian life to simply ACT in prayer as I interact with God's Word, particularly with regard to the petitions of others and to the matters that God would have us pray.  


Prayer is worship, whether in the prayer closet, or in "every place" as Paul instructs Timothy about directing men to "lift up holy hands" (1 Tim. 2:8).  I recognize that perhaps I don't pray much this way because real, daily intimacy with the Father is lacking.  I really want to be able to give the kind of attention to prayer that I would to a movie or to a really fun game, or a job or other activity; like one would give to their lover.  This for me is needful. This is needful for everyone who consider themselves a follower of Jesus Christ.

Case in point: my mom just called right now and informed me that my cousin Willie died last night (in the middle of typing these words).  He would have been 80 years old this year. Yesterday morning the Father burdened my heart that I needed to see him that day before the end of the day.  I'd been reading Acts 9 & 10 where Peter was obedient to go to Lydda where Dorcas was sick and died. He immediately went with the men who came to Joppa to retrieve him, "coming without delay" (Acts 9:38,39). Dorcas was raised to new life. Moreover, I read how the Father implored Cornelius, a gentile, to send men to Joppa to find Peter and how Peter responded in obedience because of the vision God gave him, opening a door for the gospel to be preach to those who were not Jewish.  Peter went to Cornelius with the men who were divinely directed by the Holy Spirit (v. 21,22) to retrieve him.

Last night, I did not ACT.  One thing is for sure: the Father has once again shown me His Sovereignty and that He does speak to those who seek after Him in prayer. I am only learning diligence in the seeking, faith in the praying, and obedience in the response. He wants us to respond in faith when He speaks to us in prayer.

Prayer as a Way of Walking in Love: A Personal Journey

Prayer as a Way of Walking in Love: A Personal Journey

I listened to this message given by Francis Chan, author of the book Crazy Love, and it really encouraged my soul and my prayer life. Take some time to listen and interact with the reflections he shares about prayer and how God demonstrates His love and faithfulness toward us through prayer.

On Discipleship

In truth, genuine followers of Jesus Christ walk in such a way that others cannot help but think that they themselves have been with Jesus. As a student of Christ, am I truly learning what it means to be like Jesus? "The one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked" (1 John 2:5).

On Infinitesimal Light

A rectangle's length could never move from negative infinity to positive infinity, else it would be two parallel lines. Clearly rectangles have a definite beginning and end. God is no rectangle, though he exists simultaneously along all points of Light in parallel universes: both a physical reality and a metaphysical one. He IS the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End; the One Who was, Who is, and Who is to come. In truth, He simply IS. So why do we try to put Him into our own little boxes; or rather explain him away? Father illuminate our hearts and lead us out of the darkness while there is still time.

Welcome Back

Just wanted to say that in my absence from blogging, I never stopped writing my reflections.  My hope is to continue to engage the culture from a biblical worldview as magnified through the lens of the Gospel.  Pray that I use this site as a tool to do so and that I may productively, lovingly and truthfully interact with those who are searching for the Way, the Truth, and the Life.