Ladies and Gentlemen: let me introduce to you E Tizz. Tizz is a young man from London sold out for the gospel. Recently, he dropped 16 bars in hopes of making people realize they are in need of a savior. In fact, everyone is need of a savior, we know Him to be Jesus Christ, which Tizz makes very clear in his native tongue. So press play and allow Tizz to state his petition. By the way, check out his album, Sound of My Soul, released in 2009. Be blessed and encouraged.
12 November 2010
10 November 2010
God Is Not Guilty
In the last two months, I've had multiple conversations with a young man who insists that God is to blame for the current state of the world, including the current state of humans. This young man, who goes by secular humanist, believes that if God is all powerful and all knowing, then He should've known that Adam and Eve would eventually eat the fruit of the forbidden tree; thus bringing sin into the world and that humans shouldn't be punished for our own actions. With that train of thought, he revealed his proposed theological standpoint that God is negligent in His duties. I could see that I was getting involved in an interesting battle of wits. This is a summary of the conversations we've had concerning his standpoint.
First, God is all powerful (omnipotent) and all knowing (omniscient). So, was God aware that Adam and Eve would eventually fall short? My answer is yes. Remember, we are dealing with God; nothing in our lives occurs without His knowledge and nothing sneaks past Him. Does that mean God was negligent? Shouldn't God have stepped in if He knew that sin was going to make its grand debut? The answer to both of those questions are no. God didn't step in because He gave humanity, starting with Adam, the gift of free will. We are free moral agents, meaning that God won't impose His will on us, He gives us the ability to think for ourselves, and formulate actions based on what and how the human mind processed. As far as the first question is concerned, allow me to use scripture to show that God isn't and never was negligent.
Genesis 1:26 recounts God revealing His plan to birth humanity. "Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." Why did God say "Us"? Who was He talking about when He said "Our"? Well, God was speaking in relation to the Trinity (God-Jesus-Holy Spirit). We see that God made a cryptic reference to Jesus Christ before man was created. Let's jump forward to Genesis 3:15, where God deals with the serpent shortly after Adam and Eve were exposed. "I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel." This seed that God was speaking of is Jesus, who will eventually crush Satan permanently. So, that's two references that God makes of Jesus; before man was created, and after man had fallen.
So how does this correlate to the current state of humanity? God had an ace up His sleeve to deal with sin; that ace is Jesus Christ. He was mentioned twice by God, so God had a plan established; He didn't let sin run rampant in our lives without making a way of escape. There's no loophole for man to deny responsibility for his actions; this adds solidity to Romans 8:13. The wages of sin is death, but thanks to God death doesn't have to be the final chapter. I haven't heard from the secular humanist since my response to his theological standpoint, so maybe he had a come to Jesus moment; I'm not sure. I pray that he and everyone would understand that God isn't to blame for the way of the world. That's our burden, but Jesus can absolve us of that. For those that are still convinced that God is at fault, please read Ezekiel 18. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to me. May the grace of God be with you.
First, God is all powerful (omnipotent) and all knowing (omniscient). So, was God aware that Adam and Eve would eventually fall short? My answer is yes. Remember, we are dealing with God; nothing in our lives occurs without His knowledge and nothing sneaks past Him. Does that mean God was negligent? Shouldn't God have stepped in if He knew that sin was going to make its grand debut? The answer to both of those questions are no. God didn't step in because He gave humanity, starting with Adam, the gift of free will. We are free moral agents, meaning that God won't impose His will on us, He gives us the ability to think for ourselves, and formulate actions based on what and how the human mind processed. As far as the first question is concerned, allow me to use scripture to show that God isn't and never was negligent.
Genesis 1:26 recounts God revealing His plan to birth humanity. "Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness." Why did God say "Us"? Who was He talking about when He said "Our"? Well, God was speaking in relation to the Trinity (God-Jesus-Holy Spirit). We see that God made a cryptic reference to Jesus Christ before man was created. Let's jump forward to Genesis 3:15, where God deals with the serpent shortly after Adam and Eve were exposed. "I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel." This seed that God was speaking of is Jesus, who will eventually crush Satan permanently. So, that's two references that God makes of Jesus; before man was created, and after man had fallen.
So how does this correlate to the current state of humanity? God had an ace up His sleeve to deal with sin; that ace is Jesus Christ. He was mentioned twice by God, so God had a plan established; He didn't let sin run rampant in our lives without making a way of escape. There's no loophole for man to deny responsibility for his actions; this adds solidity to Romans 8:13. The wages of sin is death, but thanks to God death doesn't have to be the final chapter. I haven't heard from the secular humanist since my response to his theological standpoint, so maybe he had a come to Jesus moment; I'm not sure. I pray that he and everyone would understand that God isn't to blame for the way of the world. That's our burden, but Jesus can absolve us of that. For those that are still convinced that God is at fault, please read Ezekiel 18. If you have questions, feel free to reach out to me. May the grace of God be with you.
05 October 2010
ALMOST (saved)
This piece translates Christianity in lyrical form quite eloquently. Coupled with punchlines and honest truth, this poem will be one to remember. Peep it and hopefully you will convicted to examine yourself.
11 May 2010
Real Redemption: Story of an Ex-Porn star
*DISCLAIMER* The following message reveals the inner workings of the adult industry to a graphic degree. If you feel that you're not spiritually mature or too skeptical to view this testimony, please don't watch. God has proven time and time again that He can redeem anyone and that no sin is too sick or disgusting to be cleansed.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this testimony is shocking, eye-opening, and incredible. God is simply awesome and can't be matched in what He does. Pastor Cox from Passion 4 Christ Movement (P4CM) interviews a young lady who has been freed from a sin that grips a lot of women. This video is quite long, so grab your favorite drink and snack. Again, read the disclaimer before viewing the video. God bless.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this testimony is shocking, eye-opening, and incredible. God is simply awesome and can't be matched in what He does. Pastor Cox from Passion 4 Christ Movement (P4CM) interviews a young lady who has been freed from a sin that grips a lot of women. This video is quite long, so grab your favorite drink and snack. Again, read the disclaimer before viewing the video. God bless.
My Life in the Porn Industry from p4cm on Vimeo.
27 April 2010
My Thoughts on Marriage
What's going on family! I know it's been a minute, but I've been growing as a husband the past couple of months. I've really been learning and growing in the role as a husband and applying what it means to love my wife and daughter. Speaking of marriage, I'm rocked by the real concept of marriage; the way God intended it. I just wanted to share my thoughts on this beautiful institution.
We always hear about the ugly side of a marriage; he cheated, got the other girl pregnant, and we all go to the same church/she's one of my co-workers. We've all either heard that exact story or some other twisted version like that. Unfortunate as that might be, there are good sides to marriage, but we rarely hear about them. The world has obviously skewed the image/concept of marriage. The true image of marriage is a man promising before God first, then a court of law, that he will live (dwell) with one woman, through the good, bad and the ugly; symbolizing God's unwavering love and commitment for his people, even through strain and times of discomfort. Now, let me be the first to restate some common misconceptions/lies about jumping the broom.
Some people believe that marriage is simply a contractual agreement with an iron-clad clause that gives way for immediate dismissal (divorce), if the spouse isn't happy.
- Marriage is a covenant. I would repeat myself, but it's already been stated in the above paragraph. If you have divorce as an option to the wedding vows, you're probably not ready for marriage.
Marriage is more than a woman getting spoiled, due to her flawed understanding that men are indebted to women.
- Hate to break it to you, but men don't owe women anything, outside of the realm of marriage.
Marriage isn't a tyranny where men bark orders, including sexual favors, and the women are reduced to a common house slave.
- This type of ideology has caused much strain between married couples. Please realize that a wife is your companion, not anything less (read Genesis 2).
I could go on, but you get the point. I think one of the biggest problems of marriage is lack of standards. Men have fallen short in this area, due to what they were taught. Yes, men who are playas and pimps were taught this type of behavior; it's learned, not something you're born with. I'm not making excuses for men to continue in sin, I'm giving the real facts. Women have fallen in this area as well, relying on artificial means (clothes, money, thug persona) to define a "good man". Some women have resorted to sleeping with men, even married men, so long as their bills are paid and they "get theirs". That's a sugardaddy; doesn't really fall into the good man category.
The point I'm trying to make is that marriage is much more than what our American society has force fed us. The bible tells us numerous times to enjoy the physical (sexual) apsect of marriage. It even reveals that both men and women were created with the need to relate, an area that God fulfills through marriage.
Please seek the real meaning behind this beautiful institution. Seek God first; without Him, you really won't hit the mark. This isn't a how to get married post, but hopefully this will help someone, married or single, seek more. God bless.
We always hear about the ugly side of a marriage; he cheated, got the other girl pregnant, and we all go to the same church/she's one of my co-workers. We've all either heard that exact story or some other twisted version like that. Unfortunate as that might be, there are good sides to marriage, but we rarely hear about them. The world has obviously skewed the image/concept of marriage. The true image of marriage is a man promising before God first, then a court of law, that he will live (dwell) with one woman, through the good, bad and the ugly; symbolizing God's unwavering love and commitment for his people, even through strain and times of discomfort. Now, let me be the first to restate some common misconceptions/lies about jumping the broom.
Some people believe that marriage is simply a contractual agreement with an iron-clad clause that gives way for immediate dismissal (divorce), if the spouse isn't happy.
- Marriage is a covenant. I would repeat myself, but it's already been stated in the above paragraph. If you have divorce as an option to the wedding vows, you're probably not ready for marriage.
Marriage is more than a woman getting spoiled, due to her flawed understanding that men are indebted to women.
- Hate to break it to you, but men don't owe women anything, outside of the realm of marriage.
Marriage isn't a tyranny where men bark orders, including sexual favors, and the women are reduced to a common house slave.
- This type of ideology has caused much strain between married couples. Please realize that a wife is your companion, not anything less (read Genesis 2).
I could go on, but you get the point. I think one of the biggest problems of marriage is lack of standards. Men have fallen short in this area, due to what they were taught. Yes, men who are playas and pimps were taught this type of behavior; it's learned, not something you're born with. I'm not making excuses for men to continue in sin, I'm giving the real facts. Women have fallen in this area as well, relying on artificial means (clothes, money, thug persona) to define a "good man". Some women have resorted to sleeping with men, even married men, so long as their bills are paid and they "get theirs". That's a sugardaddy; doesn't really fall into the good man category.
The point I'm trying to make is that marriage is much more than what our American society has force fed us. The bible tells us numerous times to enjoy the physical (sexual) apsect of marriage. It even reveals that both men and women were created with the need to relate, an area that God fulfills through marriage.
Please seek the real meaning behind this beautiful institution. Seek God first; without Him, you really won't hit the mark. This isn't a how to get married post, but hopefully this will help someone, married or single, seek more. God bless.
26 January 2010
Accountability
I just wanted to share something from my heart about an area in Christianity that needs some fine tuning. I wanted to discuss the importance of accountability. Accountability is crucial to the Christian's spiritual health; it is a nicely designed system based on two factors that encourages God's children. Those two factors are communication and honesty. Without these two factors, accountability fades away. Communicating is necessary for a Christian to overcome roadblocks in this life, but we must communicate honestly. Without real honesty, there's almost no point in communicating. Accountability is a way for Christians to relieve stress from whatever issues they are having as well as come clean about their sin. With that being said, let's shift gears to why this product needs some repairs.
Accountability is hard because of the very people it was designed to help; that's right, Christians. Sit tight while I explain. Let's use a fictional name, Zeek. If Zeek is going through some issues (we all do), he will need a way to vent/seek help. If Zeek doesn't know how to cope with stress, he will find an outlet to rid himself of that weight. Some people choose good outlets, and others, not so much. For example, if Zeek's stress reliever is sex and his spouse isn't with him or had a heated discussion, that could lead to devastating results. If Zeek turns to medicine to cope with stress, that could lead to substance abuse. Revealing his struggles could (unfortunately) have some serious and painful reactions.
Suppose Zeek does the right thing and seeks someone to vent or seek help for his stress. This could go completely wrong, due to some Christians frontin'. The bible barricade that's raised will throw Zeek into isolation. The brother that's always blessed, but secretly cheating on his wife because of drama won't help Zeek. Neither will the sister quoting bible scriptures, but secretly dealing with being raped by a relative. These are examples, but the examples are real.
As stated earlier, Zeek will be thrown in isolation. Why? Simple. To some extent, the Church in today's culture seems to emphasize perfection. The only problem with that is the Church seems to forget that people are human. As long as we're on this earth, we will have to deal with this flesh. Sadly, those who choose to express their humanity openly and honestly get labeled with negative stigmas. Being that no one, including Pastors, is without sin most Christians will play the image game; pretend everything in your world is good while the real you, consumed with struggles, is tucked away for the sake of image. The Church and every saint in the world needs to understand that "real" life doesn't stop when you get saved. Your spouse will irritate you, there will be disputes over finances. It happens, it's called life. So what is Zeek left to do? He resorts to Satan's playground. Satan loves it when believers become isolated because sin goes uncontested and more importantly, unrevealed until it's exposed at a pivotal point in his relationship with Christ.
The morale of the story is that help/advice for the Christian has become limited. Those earnestly seeking help by being open with their flaws get stamped with negative stigmas, while others in the same boat play the image game. This doesn't happen all the time, but it does occur frequently. Accountability is a relationship where two people can trust each other to reveal strongholds and sruggles in order to get counseling, or to vent. If some saints are hiding behind image, then who's helping the many Christians dealing with "real" life?
Accountability is hard because of the very people it was designed to help; that's right, Christians. Sit tight while I explain. Let's use a fictional name, Zeek. If Zeek is going through some issues (we all do), he will need a way to vent/seek help. If Zeek doesn't know how to cope with stress, he will find an outlet to rid himself of that weight. Some people choose good outlets, and others, not so much. For example, if Zeek's stress reliever is sex and his spouse isn't with him or had a heated discussion, that could lead to devastating results. If Zeek turns to medicine to cope with stress, that could lead to substance abuse. Revealing his struggles could (unfortunately) have some serious and painful reactions.
Suppose Zeek does the right thing and seeks someone to vent or seek help for his stress. This could go completely wrong, due to some Christians frontin'. The bible barricade that's raised will throw Zeek into isolation. The brother that's always blessed, but secretly cheating on his wife because of drama won't help Zeek. Neither will the sister quoting bible scriptures, but secretly dealing with being raped by a relative. These are examples, but the examples are real.
As stated earlier, Zeek will be thrown in isolation. Why? Simple. To some extent, the Church in today's culture seems to emphasize perfection. The only problem with that is the Church seems to forget that people are human. As long as we're on this earth, we will have to deal with this flesh. Sadly, those who choose to express their humanity openly and honestly get labeled with negative stigmas. Being that no one, including Pastors, is without sin most Christians will play the image game; pretend everything in your world is good while the real you, consumed with struggles, is tucked away for the sake of image. The Church and every saint in the world needs to understand that "real" life doesn't stop when you get saved. Your spouse will irritate you, there will be disputes over finances. It happens, it's called life. So what is Zeek left to do? He resorts to Satan's playground. Satan loves it when believers become isolated because sin goes uncontested and more importantly, unrevealed until it's exposed at a pivotal point in his relationship with Christ.
The morale of the story is that help/advice for the Christian has become limited. Those earnestly seeking help by being open with their flaws get stamped with negative stigmas, while others in the same boat play the image game. This doesn't happen all the time, but it does occur frequently. Accountability is a relationship where two people can trust each other to reveal strongholds and sruggles in order to get counseling, or to vent. If some saints are hiding behind image, then who's helping the many Christians dealing with "real" life?
21 January 2010
Intro/Everything is Futile
Before we dive into Chapter 1, let me give you the back drop. Some scholars still debate over whether on Solomon was, in fact, the writer of Ecclesiastes. Historical evidence has thought to prove that Solomon was the author, so for all intents and purposes, he is. Solomon was, still is, and will be the richest individual in the history books. Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey combined still doesn't come close to the vast wealth that Solomon had (God given of course). Unfortunately for him, he squandered kingdom resources in pursuit of pleasure, wisdom, and happiness. Solomon had to learn the hard way that all these things are mist, vapors, futile. This is exactly how he starts the book.
Everything is Futile
Solomon, after realizing that everything is futile in verses 1 and 2, begins pondering life by asking "what does a man gain for all his efforts he labors at under the sun?" I'm quite sure if you're thoroughly nourished on bible nutrition, that you already know the answer to this question, in terms of spiritual matters. In verse 9, Solomon states that there is nothing new under the sun, but in verses 4-6, we see why he came to that conclusion. He states that every comes in cycles. 4"A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. 5The sun rises and the sun sets; it returns to its place where it rises. 6Gusting to the south, turning to the north, turning, turning, goes the wind, and the wind returns in its cycles." Everything occurs in this world in cycles; generations, nature, life, and death. Solomon solidifies his statement in verse 9 with the statement in verse 10. "Can one say about anything, Look this is new? It has already existed in the ages before us."
Limitations of Wisdom
Solomon switches gears in verse 12 by talking about the limitations associated with wisdom. Solomon states he has applied his mind to seek and explore through all things done under heaven through wisdom (v12-13). In the end, however, he states that it all is futile, vapors. He used all of his physical resources to grasp and understand pleasure, folly, wisdom and knowledge and these all have led to nothing. He gained wisdom far beyond everyone who ruled Jerusalem before him, yet it meant nothing in the end (v16-17). Solomon shares more results from his personal quest for knowledge and folly in the next chapter. Stay tuned....
Everything is Futile
Solomon, after realizing that everything is futile in verses 1 and 2, begins pondering life by asking "what does a man gain for all his efforts he labors at under the sun?" I'm quite sure if you're thoroughly nourished on bible nutrition, that you already know the answer to this question, in terms of spiritual matters. In verse 9, Solomon states that there is nothing new under the sun, but in verses 4-6, we see why he came to that conclusion. He states that every comes in cycles. 4"A generation goes and a generation comes, but the earth remains forever. 5The sun rises and the sun sets; it returns to its place where it rises. 6Gusting to the south, turning to the north, turning, turning, goes the wind, and the wind returns in its cycles." Everything occurs in this world in cycles; generations, nature, life, and death. Solomon solidifies his statement in verse 9 with the statement in verse 10. "Can one say about anything, Look this is new? It has already existed in the ages before us."
Limitations of Wisdom
Solomon switches gears in verse 12 by talking about the limitations associated with wisdom. Solomon states he has applied his mind to seek and explore through all things done under heaven through wisdom (v12-13). In the end, however, he states that it all is futile, vapors. He used all of his physical resources to grasp and understand pleasure, folly, wisdom and knowledge and these all have led to nothing. He gained wisdom far beyond everyone who ruled Jerusalem before him, yet it meant nothing in the end (v16-17). Solomon shares more results from his personal quest for knowledge and folly in the next chapter. Stay tuned....
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