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Recognizing the ‘Favor of God’ in a Different Place Pt. 2

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Pastor E.A. Deckard
by Pastor E.A. Deckard
Special to the NNPA from the Houston Forward Times

“Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.” – Maria Robinson

“Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven’t half the strength you think they have.” – Norman Vincent Peale

Genesis 39:16-21 New International Version (NIV)

16 She kept his cloak beside her until his master came home. 17 Then she told him this story: “That Hebrew slave you brought us came to me to make sport of me. 18 But as soon as I screamed for help, he left his cloak beside me and ran out of the house.”

19 When his master heard the story his wife told him, saying, “This is how your slave treated me,” he burned with anger. 20 Joseph’s master took him and put him in prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined. But while Joseph was there in the prison, 21 the Lord was with him; he showed him kindness and granted him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.

Forward Thinkers, can you imagine the emotional rollercoaster Joseph is on.

He just recovered from a very negative situation with his family, now he is having a horrible time with his employer. Have you ever had a season in your life where you had to deal with negativity everywhere you went even though, you know you are anointed with the favor of God?

Forward Thinkers, I must remind you the “Favor of God” FOG does not prevent you from experiencing some difficult places, but the FOG will give you the power to go through difficult places and not be defeated.

Forward Thinkers, Joseph had the “Favor of God” on him, therefore; his family selling him out could not stop him from reaching his full potential in life.

Forward Thinkers, the FOG on Joseph’s life allowed him to come out the pit and excel. Because we serve the same God as Joseph, we can no longer make excuses for quitting doing a difficult season. Forward Thinkers, if God showed Joseph favor in a difficult place he will also do the same thing for you.

Forward Thinkers, before I unfold the text for this week let me pause to remind you the same God that favored Joseph is the same God that’s favoring you today.

Forward Thinkers, think over your life how many times people have tried to defeat you but somehow God keeps bringing you through. Forward Thinkers remember Joseph was even sold as a slave to a group of people who should have mistreated him but the favor of God on Joseph’s life caused them to sell him to Potiphar.

Yes, Forward Thinkers, God’s favor can use a negative situation to promote you to a better place in life.

Forward Thinkers, I must inform you the enemy will never give up as a matter of fact the more favor of God on your life the more aggressive the devil’s attempt to defeat you will become. Forward Thinkers, shout right that the “Favor of God” will keep bringing you through.

Forward Thinkers, this brings us to today’s text: Genesis 39:16-21 

Joseph had been promoted in Potiphar camp to a high ranking position then Potiphar wife lies on Joseph.

Forward Thinkers Satan will use lies, gossip, and rumors to try to take you out but keep your faith and believe the truth will set you free.

Look at verse 20: Joseph was put in prison

But—I’ve learned how to praise God out loud for all my BUT GOD situations

The devil thought he had me But God

Sickness thought it could kill me But God

Depression thought it could steal my mind But God

Somebody walked out on me declared I’d never been anything But God

Forward Thinkers, while Joseph was there in prison, he received the favor of God. God can favor you right where you are, no matter where you may be. The FOG gave Joseph success even in prison. Whatever you are going through right now it can’t cancel the “Favor of God” from your life.

Jump down to Genesis 41:41

Genesis 41:41 New International Version (NIV)

41 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.”

Forward Thinkers, Pharaoh who is the top man in all the land now brings Joseph into his administration as his right hand man. Joseph had endured a lot of ups and downs; he went through all kind of unfair situations, Joseph was mistreated by his family, lied on by his employers wife and let down by people he had helped but in spite of all that the “Favor of God” kept flowing in his life.

Forward Thinkers, shout today and declare you receive it and won’t stop believing.

Genesis 50:20 New International Version (NIV)

20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Forward Thinkers, the story of Joseph encourages me to keep going doing a difficult season in life; nothing can cancel the favor of God on your life and I’m declaring today Forward Thinkers, the favor of God is waiting to promote you to the next level of life.

Pastor E. A. Deckard is the Senior Pastor/Founder of the Green House International Church located, 16711 Ella Blvd. Houston, Texas, 77090. To contact Pastor Deckard for speaking engagements contact him at pr.ghic@gmail.com or the church website www.ghic.net.

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COMMENTARY: Prayer is Your Power

Terrible things happen to good people often. We live in an unjust world with people making decisions that are informed more by profit than people. We cannot take those principles into our relationship with God. We must believe that “… all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

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Prayer is about faith. It is believing that God hears us.
Prayer is about faith. It is believing that God hears us.

Faithful Utterances

By Dr. Froswa Booker-Drew | Texas Metro News

This week, a friend informed me that she was following the ambulance to the hospital with her husband. Her husband was going through a major health crisis. She wasn’t the only one who reached out—a friend’s mother had unexplained pain and another friend contacted me about her friend’s son who was hospitalized with pneumonia. Each of them asked that I pray for them.

I consider it an honor to pray for others. Prayer is powerful and I love that I have a group of friends who I can turn to that I call the “prayer warriors” that when I send a text to lift up the concerns and issues of others before God, they go into battle mode.

Prayer is a weapon and I think many of us don’t understand its power until we need it. For many of us, it’s a routine, something that’s more about religion than it is about relationship. We have gotten prayer twisted as some exchange solely for stuff. God is not a celestial Santa Claus dropping off gifts. Prayer is an opportunity to go before to God sincerely in relationship. “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others.

Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:5–8)

Prayer is about faith. It is believing that God hears us. “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) I realize that my prayers are even more powerful when I am in relationship with others seeking God: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (Matthew 18:20). It’s dangerous when we see prayer as a way to manipulate God into doing what we want. There is nothing wrong with bringing your requests before God but it’s important to check our motivation and intention. It’s also important to know that just because God doesn’t answer our prayers in the way that we want does not mean that God doesn’t love us.

It doesn’t mean that God does not hear us. It does not negate the omnipotence or goodness of God, either. We must believe that God is able. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) It’s easy to blame God when things don’t go the way we want them to—”the rain falls on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45).

Terrible things happen to good people often. We live in an unjust world with people making decisions that are informed more by profit than people. We cannot take those principles into our relationship with God. We must believe that “… all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28) …. God is concerned with our hearts, with people and cares for us even when things don’t go the way we’d like. I can report that all of the individuals we prayed for had excellent results.

God is good! Yet, I realize that this isn’t always the case. Prayer is powerful. God wants us to have this daily form of communication. 1 John 5:14, tells us: “And this is the boldness we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” Don’t use prayer just when you need something. Just as all relationships require consistent communication for growth and results, the same is even more important in our relationship with God. Prayer is a powerful partnership with God that can move mountains when we believe!

Dr. Froswa’ Booker-Drew is the host of the Tapestry Podcast and the author of three books for women. She is also the Vice President of Community Affairs for the State Fair of Texas. To learn more, visit drfroswa.com.

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Black History

AFRICAN-ISH: The First Christmas Story

Both Joseph and Mary were of the lineage of David, Joseph descended from David’s son Solomon (and Bathsheba), and Mary extended from another son Nathan. Therefore, they were required to go to the little town of Bethlehem,  in Judea and there,  in a cattle shed Jesus was born.  (Bethlehem is 70 miles south of Nazareth and 5 miles southwest of Jerusalem).

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The four Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke and John chronicled the full theme of Christ as the universal Savior.
The four Gospels Matthew, Mark, Luke and John chronicled the full theme of Christ as the universal Savior.

By Simon Burris

The narrative of Jesus’ birth and proof of his Hamitic (Black) African bloodline* began in the Old Testament in the book of Genesis chapter 10, in the Land of Ham, located in southwest Asia and Africa. Three most  prominent Hamitic personalities:  Abraham,  Isaiah and David.

People and places of Hamitic origins  are underlined.

(1) Abraham the patriarch was Babylonian (Ethnic Ethiopian). Gen. 11:31;  (2) Isaiah a prophet lived 750 years before Christ, predicted the virgin birth was a nephew of Amaziah a Judahite (Canaanite) king; and (3) David the great king of Israel  was a descendant of Abraham, also of  Tamar and Rahab (Canaanites).

The (Hamitic) Genealogy of Jesus Christ: Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-34

The Birth of Jesus:   (about 6-4 BC)

Mary the virgin mother of Jesus and her husband Joseph the “foster” father of Jesus, a carpenter, lived in Nazareth, a town in northern Palestine.

At this time Emperor Augustus of the Roman Empire decreed that a census would be taken. Everyone in his domain had to go to his or her hometown to register. He probably ordered  Cyrenius  ( Quirinius ) the Afro Roman governor of Syria / Judeadistrict to take charge and supervise the mandate.

Both Joseph and Mary were of the lineage of David, Joseph descended from David’s son Solomon (and Bathsheba), and Mary extended from another son Nathan. Therefore, they were required to go to the little town of Bethlehem,  in Judea and there,  in a cattle shed Jesus was born.  (Bethlehem is 70 miles south of Nazareth and 5 miles southwest of Jerusalem).

A short time later shepherds from the countryside as well as Wise Men (Magi) from neighboring countries  ArabiaBabylonia,and Persia  traveled to the nativity site, paid homage and worshiped the infant-Savior.

Now Joseph was warned by the Lord in a dream that Herod the Edomite king of Judea was plotting the murder of the child, fled with his family to Egypt, returning to Nazareth after the death of Herod.

Jesus had siblings, brothers Joseph, Simon, Epistle writers James, Jude, and several sisters. The last mention of Joseph occurs in the Gospel of Luke when he and Mary take the 12-year-old Jesus to Jerusalem. Mary played a vital role all through Jesus’ life, from the day He was born till the time of the crucifixion.

Conclusion:  The four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John chronicled the full theme of Christ as the universal Savior. *Descendants of Ham’s sons Cush (Ethiopia), Mizraim (Egypt), Put (Libya) and Canaan (Ancient Palestine/Israel). Genesis 10: 6-20

Footnotes: Why is Christmas celebrated on December 25?

The ancient Romans celebrated the winter solstice on December 25 as the birthday of the SUN; the Babylonians and Persians -SON of the SUN. Some 300 plus years after Jesus’ earthly demise, Roman Emperor Constantine in 336 legalized this date as the birthday of the SON of GOD – JESUS the CHRIST!   Originally:   Christ’s Mass.

Eurocentric racism:  Pope Julius II in 1508  commissioned  Michelangelo, Raphael and other Renaissance artists and church scholars to portray and depict almost all major biblical characters as  Europeans  (Caucasians), save servants and slaves.  

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Activism

SDA Churches Join Outreach Efforts to Find Solutions to Upsurge of Violence

the Northern California Conference of Seventh Day Adventists (SDA) held their annual Convocation at Grand Avenue Seventh Day Adventist Church in Oakland. Seven hundred people came together in celebration and worship. The theme was “Embracing Change.”

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From left to right: Pastor Raymond Lankford, Elder Busayo Alabi, Pastor Damon Washington, Sister Rose Robinson, Pastor Garrett Anderson, Pastor Edwin Brown, Pastor Willie Johnson, Pastor Virgil Childs.
From left to right: Pastor Raymond Lankford, Elder Busayo Alabi, Pastor Damon Washington, Sister Rose Robinson, Pastor Garrett Anderson, Pastor Edwin Brown, Pastor Willie Johnson, Pastor Virgil Childs.

By Post Staff

On Oct. 8, the Northern California Conference of Seventh Day Adventists (SDA) held their annual Convocation at Grand Avenue Seventh Day Adventist Church in Oakland. Seven hundred people came together in celebration and worship. The theme was “Embracing Change.” The guest speaker was Dr. Myron Edmonds, who pastors in Cleveland, Ohio. He spoke about how Christ wasn’t a traditionalist, and the work isn’t being done because some in the church don’t wish to change and they tend to demonize new ideas.

Throughout the day, the Mobile Medical Health Van operated by Immanuel Temple Seventh Day Adventist Church out of Oakland sat in front of the church and provided health screenings and community resource information to the general public. The Medical Van, which was gifted to the church by Pastor Raymond Lankford of Healthy Communities, has provided free health care services throughout Alameda County for the last few years. The prayer of Pastor Damon Washington of Immanuel Temple Church, who was ordained during the afternoon program, is for their health ministry to partner with the other providers like OPIC and Oakland Workforce Agencies and to combat the ongoing health disparities and violence within the city and beyond.

They have pledged to work with the Chaplains, the OPIC and the Formerly Incarcerated Giving Back, who want to make amends for the damages they have done to harm Oakland.

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