The Right Fight?

Since the arrival of the first Africans to the New World in Virginia in 1619 it seems that there has always been something for African-Americans to fight for.  Although, the Emancipation Proclamation and the Civil Rights Act have granted certain civil liberties to African-Americans, racial equality and justice have always felt like an unobtainable goal to many in the African-American community. This seems to be the case even more so now, in the wake of newly elected President, Donald Trump.

President Trump has accordingly  shown behavioral tendencies that exemplify racism.  While many would say, this is just the fabricated argument of the African-American community, many credible mainstream media outlets have labeled our President as such.

Dana Millbank of the Washington Post has called Donald Trump a “bigot and a racist”[1]

New York Times editor Jill Abramson states there is “plenty of evidence” to show that Trump is both a “Demagogue and a Racist.”[2]

Lydia O’Connor and Daniel Marans of the Huffington Post cited 13 examples of Donald Trump being a racist. [3]

Fortune 500’s Michael D’Antonio cited several cases of racial tendencies and quotes of Donald Trump dating back close to thirty years[4]

In contrast, President Trump has of late has gone out of his way to meet with popular African-Americans celebrities like Steve Harvey, Kanye West, Jim Brown and Ray Lewis.  Not to mention several African American clergymen prior to the U.S. Election.  According to Harper Poling, Donald Trump received 18 percent of the African American popular vote, which is more than Mitt Romney in the prior election.[5]

So, the question needs to asked, what is the African American fight for  at this present time? Should African-Americans trust Donald Trump?

Has any other President since the Post-segregation era displayed such racist tendencies as our current President?

Should African Americans begin to look in the mirror and start to evaluate their citizenship? Is there enough data to show that any elected official white or black has the best interest of the African-American community in mind? Should African-Americans feel threatened by police officers or by their own neighbors? Should we vote, and if so Democratic or Republican or Independent.

One could make the argument, that the current climate in the United States has the feel of an imminent social attack on the African-American Identity and Culture.  When viewing the statistical data that reflects the enormous amount of crime, imprisonment, police brutality and poverty in various urban African-American communities, Africa-Americans cannot afford to take their rights for granted.  Every African-American citizen must consider every aspect of their existence in this country. Not only, should African-Americans evaluate their politics but also assess their faith, family values, finances and future.

[1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/donald-trump-is-a-bigot-and-a-racist/2015/12/01/a2a47b96-9872-11e5-8917-653b65c809eb_story.html?utm_term=.1587c6982b5a

[2] https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/29/donald-trump-us-election-2016-demagogue?CMP=share_btn_tw

[3] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-racist-examples_us_56d47177e4b03260bf777e83

[4] http://fortune.com/2016/06/07/donald-trump-racism-quotes/

[5] http://harperpolling.com/docs/default-source/default-document-library/16-10-pa-statewide-poll-crosstabs.pdf?sfvrsn=0

 

The Miraculous Process

Every great accomplishment must incorporate the element of time.  Growth and development do not happen overnight.  A child does not grow overnight, a plant does not go into the ground as seed and by the next day grow into a tall tree.  Time and seasons are things that GOD uses to implement change.

Creation tells us that change and growth are the applications of a gradual process that GOD utilizes to bring about the purpose of his will.[1]

GOD has an eternal purpose for his offspring[2].  The agenda of which was ordained from the foundation of the world. No one, however, can fulfill their calling simply by existing from day to day. Instead, through consistent growth and development into the stature and maturity that was predestinated by the purpose that GOD has instilled in us.

Every day we live we have a purpose. Nothing we go through, nothing we experience is ever wasted.  Our lives are micromanaged by the will of GOD to ensure that we are able to acquire the knowledge, wisdom and understanding to be partakes of his divine nature.

We GOD’S workmanship[3]. The Creator does not have a deadline to meet when it comes to developing us.  He has no clock to punch, or supervisor. GOD does not have a timesheet or reports to run.  He uses every day of our lives and every experience that we have to formulate in us the character and personality that can be utilized to govern the works of his hands.[4]

So in essence, our maturation process is a miraculous process.  Unlike any other creature when our bodies reach its plateau in height and stature, our minds continue to evolve, to learn, to understand.  Every day we are blessed with new experiences that possess the potential to unlock the mysteries of our calling, and enlighten our minds with the heavenly gift of the grace of life.[5]

Knowing this we can never look at our current circumstances and make the assumption that GOD has placed a period at the end of the sentence.  We must face every day, every problem and every adversity with confidence, knowing that all things are working together for our good.[6]

[1] Romans 1:20

[2] Titus 3:7, Acts 17;28

[3] Eph 2:10

[4] Psalms 8:6

[5] 1^st Peter 3:7

[6] Rom 8:28

Living “BY” Faith

It is written that the “Just shall live by faith.” True faith is not believing “in” something but instead, it is the principles by which all of your beliefs are founded upon; the foundation upon which all your beliefs are stand. Your faith governs the choices you make in life and guides your everyday activities and practices. Having faith in GOD comes by the hearing of the WORD OF GOD. GOD’s word allows us to create a concrete value system that will provide daily guidance to live life successfully. Your faith in GOD’S word grants the wisdom to make choices to reach your full potential and not jeopardize the purpose of your existence.

 

Race

The idea of classifying human beings by their physical features is not an ancient concept. Men at one point in history were grouped by their  native lands. It was not until the 17th century when Europeans needed to justify slavery and colonization thereby convincing their constituency that African People along with other groups  were inferior or less than human.

Because of this, the idea that people are classified by their skin or their ethnicity denotes the idea that one group of people are inferior or superior than the other.

Why are human beings “classified?”  Are we not all made in the Image and Likeness our our Maker? This is why racism exist across the world.  It is embedded into our culture,  our society, our world. The fact that the continent that thought to “classify” humanity has covered the world with their idealism,race will be an issue until the next Global initiative which according to GOD’s word, will be return of The Savior of All mankind, YAHSHUA the Messiah (Christ).

Until then, every human being is forced to recognize race.  In doing so it is done with the connotation that one race is inferior or superior and men will continue to operate as such.

So men will continue to justify their humanity while others will attempt to assume their superiority.  This is why we kill based on race, why we segregate our neighborhoods, our schools, our offices, our television shows and our cultures.  This is why we identify our differences and act upon them rather than expound on our likenesses, for we are the Image and Likeness of GOD!

The Offspring of GOD was never made to be “classified” but made to be the heirs of GOD’s Kingdom, the nephesh  (heb. the soul, living breathing creature) that holds the breathe that is inspired by the ALMIGHTY GOD to  partake of his divine nature, then to hold  the rightful position as the inheritance of the Government and Kingdom of GOD!

*Scripture Reference*

Revelation 21:7

Romans 8

Revelations 2

Genesis 2

Acts 17

The Keep It Real List 1-24-2014

The Keep It Real List 1-24-2014

America Deserves A Raise!

Since President Obama’s State of The Union last year, debate has increased regarding minimum wage.  Since the last minimum wage increase, gas prices and food cost have increased anywhere from  15 to in some cases 50 percent over the past three years. Yet there has been no adjustment to the workers minimum wage.

Many of our elected officials claim that most people that work minimum wage jobs do not support their families but are young, single adults that live at home or with relatives. Also, that the increase of minimum wage would have a drastic impact on major corporations like Wal-Mart, JC Penny, Target, Sears, Burger King, Subway, Starbucks, Domino’s and McDonald’s.  In addition to the crunch felt by Major corporations, small business owners would have to lay off workers survive.

Congress also points to the fact that their wages have been frozen since 2009 the last minimum wage increase. While this is true, stipulations and rule changes according to the *Congressional Research Service allow for increases for elected officials to gain more outside of congress and increase spending for task.

Because of this, Congress last year refused to pass a law that would raise minimum wage. Many men and woman have taken to the streets to protest low wages. Apparently, the major corporations that make billions during National Shopping events like “Black Friday” don’t feel that America deserves a raise.

 Should you be in business if you cannot ensure that those who work for you cannot live a life where they can provide for their families? Should you own a business if you cannot afford to pay those who work for you?

After all that this country has been through, doesn’t America deserve a raise? Because you flip burgers or clean bathrooms, should your hard work not be rewarded? If investors provide financial capital to corporations as a resource, shouldn’t manual labor be considered an effective resource that deserves an increase?

Laborers carry out the vision of visionaries and should be treated with the utmost respect and dignity.  No one is saying that you should not pursue your dreams, or recreate a socialist system and eliminate free enterprise.  We should however, allow any man and woman that seize the opportunity to get on their grind the means to live comfortably.

America deserves a raise. We have been through enough in the past five years. It’s time to be put money in the pockets of our workers. Write your local elected officials and let them know that America deserves a raise!

*This Article borrows data from -http://www.senate.gov/CRSReports/crs-publish.cfm?pid=%270E%2C*PL[%3D%23P%20%20%0A

No Lie is Of The Truth – The Santa Claus Debate

Recently, Fox News Commentator Megan Kelly stirred a national debate about Santa Claus being Caucasian.  During her prime time show Kelly made the controversial statement-

  “For you kids watching at home, Santa just is white.”

Her comments stirred up many parents that felt that Santa Claus should be viewed as multi-ethnic and should not have a color. This would help in teaching children to respect diversity through icons like Santa Claus by not limiting him to an old Caucasian man.

Here’s a thought, why don’t we just tell our kids the truth? The notion that some man rides on a sleigh led by reindeer on the night of December 24, comes into our homes, leave gifts to every boy and girl is false. For some reason we have continued to perpetuate a lie about someone that does not exist and this lie has continued for generations.

Could it be the reason why we go so far to protect our beloved fictitious icons is because in fact we are protecting other deep rooted untruths about the days we associate with the worship of OUR GOD?

Here are some facts about Christmas.

1. Christmas is nowhere in the scriptures
2. It’s celebratory components like trees, mistletoes and reefs  don’t stem from the scriptural artifacts of worship
3. The Holiday/Festival existed centuries before Christ
4. Neither Christ nor his Apostles ever neither celebrated nor advised men to do so.
5. The Bible shows the Christ and his Apostles partaking in festivals like Pentecost, Feast of Tabernacle, Unleavened Bread and Passover.  (John ch.7,Mt 26, Luke 22:15, Acts ch.2 and chapter 20)
6. The Bible along with the words of Christ shows that Passover will be celebrated in the Kingdom of GOD. (Luke 22:18)
7. Catholics did not even celebrate it until the 4^th century AD. That would be 400 years after Christ.

It is written – “I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.” (1^st John 2:21)

The truth cannot bring about a lie; a lie cannot come from truth. So where should the Church stand in something that is not true?

The Apostle states Galatians 4:16 “Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?”

The world continues to perpetuate lies and hypocrisy. It is written that “All that is in the world is the lust of the eye, lust of the flesh and the pride of life.” (1^st John 2:16) The church however was built on the pillar and ground of what is truth, dedicated to the sanctification of the truth which is the WORD OF GOD! (John 17:17)

It is written that true worship is worship that is in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). The world loves its own. The church however was never designed to have direct association with the world. Even Christ told his disciples at one time “That ye shall weep and lament but the world shall rejoice:  “(John 16:20)

The church is an exclusive fraternity of unified believers dedicated to the gospel of the Kingdom that is to come and the salvation that is given through YAHSHUA (Christ.) We are in the world but not of the world. We were called out from the world to be separated in order to fulfill the will of GOD by acquiring the character to become the ruling class of his government.

Every believer must scrutinize and examine every practice of worship. Any worship that does not come from the WORD OF GOD will result in the judgment of GOD like the two sons of Aaron that were burnt up by offering strange fire or Ananias and Sephirra that lied to the Holy Spirit about their monetary offering.

Let us teach our children the truth according to the eternal word of GOD that will stand forever as the world melts away in a fervent heat. It’s written “But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head–Christ.” (Eph.4:15)

The world is designed to perpetuate lies and hypocrisy. It is written that “All that is in the world is the lust of the eye, lust of the flesh and the pride of life.”(1st John 2:16) The Church however is the pillar and ground of the truth.

So what do we do? Leaders, preachers, pastors, evangelist and believers, do we allow the world to dictate our worship or do we let every man be a liar and let GOD BE TRUE?

*This Essay also references*

John 17:16-26

Leviticus 10:1

Ephesians chapter 4

2^nd Cor.13:5

Acts 5

John 15:19

Matt 24:5

2^nd Peter 3:10

1^st Tim 3:15

Romans 3:4

It also sites brief facts from

http://www.simpletoremember.com/vitals/Christmas_TheRealStory.htm

and

http://rcg.org/books/ttooc.html

When there is Life There is Hope

 What everyone can learn from the life of Nelson Mandela

On December 5, 2013 we lost a great leader, Nelson Mandela.  This man through his efforts and determination exposed the world to the hatred of Apartheid that went on by the fierce and brutal regime of South Africa.

Mandela led a revolutionary stance against Apartheid and was imprisoned for 27 years. Mandela was  charged with inciting worker strikes, leaving the country without permission, sabotage and conspiracy to overthrow the government.  Mandela was found guilty of all four charges and sentenced to life imprisonment.

Nelson Mandela was imprisoned from June 12 1964 until February 11, 1990. 27 years of his life was spent imprisoned because of what he believed. Nelson Mandela didn’t view this sentence as punishment but he saw it as an opportunity to bring light to his cause,  stating

“In a way I had never quite comprehended before, I realized the role I could play in court and the possibilities before me as a defendant. I was the symbol of justice in the court of the oppressor, the representative of the great ideals of freedom, fairness and democracy in a society that dishonored those virtues. I realized then and there that I could carry on the fight even in the fortress of the enemy.” (Mandela ,1994 pg 458)

We will hear many great things about Mandela since his passing. What many will fail to mention is that he is an ex-convict that was falsely imprisoned. Nelson Mandela did not allow the 27 years of incarceration to grow and fester bitterness and anger that could have crippled his vision. He did not come out of jail and attempt to bash his incarcerators or incite riots. Mandela used the rest of his life to grow, succeed and accomplish. He became the President of South Africa, a global ambassador for his country as well as a phenomenal philanthropist.

In a country where men and woman who are incarcerated often come out to hopeless challenges, President Mandela exhibits that life is not over because a single solitary event holds a major portion of your life.  Life is too great to be confined to a prison cell, bankruptcy, divorce, or a job termination. Every day presents us with the opportunity to restart over again.

When an ex-felon does leaves from prison they still face many various challenges. Here are few things that stand against them.

1. Your admission to public housing could be restricted, suspended or denied
2. Social Security Benefits can be terminated
3. Public Assistance can be restricted and removed
4. The Higher Education Act of 1998 bars ex-felons from Pell Grants and large Federal Student Loans.
5. You no longer have the right to vote

There are many difficult challenges to get back into a society that claims to be so “forgiving,” even though it is holds  the highest prison population in the world. However, The Creator of All Life designed the human spirit to hope in the midst of any adversity.

Many successfully men and women have gone on from the jail cell the Wall Street and board rooms. People like Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Charles Dutton, Anthony Divincezo, Dave Dahl, Adrienne Smalls, Robert Downey Jr, Matha Stewart, Don King, Augustus Turner all have redefined their lives by not allowing the past to define the future.

Joseph the Dreamer had dream years before it came to fruition. He was sold into slavery by his brothers, falsely convicted, incarcerated, released, elevated, promoted then facilitated a global initiative that saved millions.

GOD never designed one moment of our lives to exist without hope. It is written that we “rejoice in the hope of the GLORY OF GOD.”  (Roman 5:2) Anytime you stop hoping you are defying the purpose of your existence. To stop hoping is the same as to stop breathing.  The Creator subjugated us to hope.  Hope can only be real when you cannot see who things we develop or know what the outcome will be.  It is written –

“For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” (Rom 8.24-25)

Oftentimes years pass by before we see the results of our hard work.  Our eternal destiny and purposed resides in the Hope of GOD’s Kingdom.  The thief next to The Messiah on his death bed asked that he be remembered when Our Savior entered into his Kingdom. YAHSHUA (Christ, the Messiah) answered him “TODAY YOU SHALL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE!”

You can never position yourself where you do not hope. Hope is the blood of visions; our destiny is far greater than our circumstances. Hope is the language that speaks to the motivation of our spirits and mandates we rise beyond our current state to position our minds for the greatness we have been created to obtain.

Romans Chapter 5

Romans Chapter 8

Luke 23

Genesis 37-50

Motown Blues

Earlier this week, Federal Judge Steven Rhodes ruled that the city of Detroit Michigan the city of Detroit the right to enter into bankruptcy.  Originally the city’s constitution prevented this  action, however the Judge stated that Federal law has the right to supersede any local constitutions.

Statistically, Detroit is listed as the poorest city in the U.S. with a population over 250,000.  The average income is $25,000 annually and  36 percent of the city is below the poverty line.  A city so great, with so much history due to poor leadership, corruption and US exporting is  now left  to pick up the fragments to start all over again.

Why this verdict is so important is that the Federal Government now gives the states the rights to remove itself from any previous debt.  State workers, pension pay outs, retirement benefits all stand in jeopardy of being paid out so that the city can repair its finances.

We all know that Detroit needs help. It is our city, the birthplace of Motown and the capital of Gospel Modern Gospel Era, and the premier industrial capital for the American auto industry. Yet,  Billions of dollars will  go to other countries to maintain and build their economy and even to  fund terrorist regimes.  At the same instance, cities like Detroit, Buffalo, Cleveland and even Miami continue to deepen in poverty.

Egypt has received over 2 billion dollars annually in foreign aid since 1979. In 2013 23 billion dollars will go to foreign aid.  While we know this country has a global initiative that cannot be ignored. However when we take the responsibility to help our own?

Detroit has one of the highest crimes rates in the nation and is suffering from major corporations outsourcing most if it’s manual labor.

Now, the city could possibly neglect the elderly that has served the city for the better part of their lives by not being obligated to pay out the pensions that they have deserved for all their years of work on the day to day grind.

How can any country succeed when it ignores the desperate cries of their sons and daughters within its own houses?

Detroit has made amazing contributions not only to the country but to the world. When you think of the music, the auto industry, the blue collar culture that has helped to revolutionize the world’s culture, the least we can do is to help pick them up them up when they are down.

This articles cites statistics and work from

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/index.ssf/2013/09/census_figures_poverty_rate_ho.html

http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/mi/detroit/

http://www.celebritynetworth.com/articles/entertainment-articles/the-10-poorest-cities-in-america/