Religion

The Favor of God will Turn it in Your Favor

Published

9 years ago

April 29, 2015

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

“The future rewards those who press on. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I’m going to press on.” – Barack Obama

“If you have a positive attitude and constantly strive to give your best effort, eventually you will overcome your immediate problems and find you are ready for greater challenges.” – Pat Riley

Forward Thinkers, there are two amazing examples from the bible I want to share with you before we go to the chosen text for this week. First, remember Jesus folded the napkin as he left the grave but he left his clothes lying on the ground; let’s also recall after Jesus called Lazarus from the grave he told him to take off his grave clothes. In the Jewish community, when the head of the family gets up from the table he throws his napkin on the table which is states he is done but if he folds his napkin that states he was not finished but coming back.

Ok, Forward Thinkers I know you are thinking right now! Pastor Deckard cool and you know some Jewish stuff but what does that have to do what us today? Forward Thinkers, I’m so glad you asked because the purpose of me bringing this up is simple. Jesus is the head of our family, faith is coming back but we will not be wearing the defeated clothes of the grave.

Forward Thinkers, the bible says when Jesus returns he will be looking for a church without a spot or wrinkle in other words when Jesus returns you won’t be looking bad, mad, or sad but you’re be coming out in style.

Luke 13:10-13 New International Version (NIV)

10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, ¹¹and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. ¹²When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” ¹³Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.

Forward Thinkers, I want you to notice this woman had major issues in her life and she had been struggling for a long time. This woman had so much going on to where she could have been in Keith Sweat’s video in 1987, “Something, something just ain’t right”, but Forward Thinkers she didn’t let her struggles keep her away from hearing the word of God.

Forward Thinkers let me make this super clear, when you’re going through something or dealing with something you don’t need to run from church, but you need to run to the Green House International Church to receive a word designed to empower you to reach your full potential.

The Woman was Crippled

Forward Thinkers, the woman was unable to function at full capacity and unable to move around with total freedom. The expand definition of crippled is to be emotionally crippled, spiritually crippled, or financially crippled.

Forward Thinkers, today our youth are crippled in a system where the school yard has become a pipeline to the prison yard. Listen to this, not many Pastors will tell you that Aldine ISD 1.114, HISD 3,584, Klein ISD 396, and Spring ISD 543 youth are on probation while still trying to earn their high school diploma.

Did you know there are over 14,000 total youth on probation in our community with a breakdown of Blacks 5,469 and Latino 4,696 that’s over 11,000 of our kids crippled by a combination of bad decisions and a broken criminal system?

Forward Thinkers, we are a generation crippled by the lack of positive male role models in our communities. We are a generation crippled by an education system more concerned with Standardized testing scores and budgets than the total welfare of our children and their futures.

Forward Thinkers, we are a culture crippled by poor money management skills and poor work ethics.

Forward Thinkers, we are a culture crippled with defeated mindsets and selfish motives.

Forward Thinkers, we are a culture crippled by major companies laying off 11,000 workers in one week and sending jobs overseas to a cheap labor force.

Forward Thinkers, we are a country crippled by laws protecting the rich when they are guilty, but killing the poor before they can even prove they are innocent.

Forward Thinkers, we are a country crippled by politicians still mad that a Black man lives in the White House.

A Spirit

Forward Thinkers, there is a constant tug-a-war of spirits battling inside of each and every one of us. The spirit of fear, doubt, jealousy, and envy wants to overcome us; the spirits of drugs and addictions are teaming up to help defeat us. Forward Thinkers, we must remember God did not give us the spirit of fear and God calls us victorious over comers.

Forward Thinkers today, you must decide which spirit you will feed the most and remember a negative attitude easily becomes a crippling spirit.

18 Years

Forward Thinkers the bible says her condition had been for 18 years which is a long time, but I look at this differently. This means this has not always been her story. There was a time she did not have this issue in her life and I’m releasing my faith today, that the favor of God is getting ready to restore and renew you back to mint condition. Forward Thinkers, as matter of fact I’m releasing enough faith to declare you are better than ever before.

Can you see yourself better than every?

Forward Thinkers, I’ve discovered while I’m waiting on the “favor of God” to turn it in my favor I’ve got to encourage myself at times.

Forward Thinkers, while this woman was bent over she had no vision or power and we know where there is no vision the people perish.

Forward Thinkers the enemy desires to keep you bent over, but today I declare the favor of God is getting ready to straighten you up so you can: Rise Up, Look Up, Speak Up, and Move Up.

In conclusion, forward thinkers, notice some of the people got mad when this woman straighten up, but they could not stop the “favor of God” from showing up and showing out. The FOG “favor of God” is getting ready to shut up your opponents.

A few years ago Marvin Sapp’s song ‘Never Would Have Made It’ became the national anthem for the body of Christ. In the song Marvin Sapp stated he was wiser and stronger after going through all the difficulties in life. Forward Thinkers I’m standing in agreement with you, this will also become your story; you will be better, wiser, and stronger after the favor of God turns things in your favor.

Forward Thinkers, they can lie on you, they can mock you, they can walk out on you, but the “favor of God” won’t let them stop you.

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

Published

1 year ago

February 6, 2023

Oakland Post

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).

Published

1 year ago

December 26, 2022

Oakland Post

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.

A short time later shepherds from the countryside as well as Wise Men (Magi) from neighboring countries Arabia, Babylonia,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.”

Published

2 years ago

October 16, 2022

Oakland Post

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.