News

For whosever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10:13 Greetings Family: I pray your strength in the Lord.  I pray you experience peace that surpasses all understanding.  I pray God opens the windows of heaven and pour out blessings you won’t have room enough to receive.  I pray every step you take is a step towards the righteousness of God. While meditating and waiting on a word from God for this offering, I was moving around the house listening to a song called “Nothing Occurs To God” by Brian Courtney Wilson.  As the words of the song became my focus, they reminded me of a time when I asked God to take control of my life, forgive me of my sins, and orchestrate everything that I am to be.  I acknowledged Jesus Christ as the son of God, as well as his suffering on the cross, and resurrection.  In that moment I believed the promise of John 3:16 and “whosoever” directly referred to me.  I believed the promise in Romans 10 which states there is no difference in the Jew and the Greek.  I believed Jesus died for me also and nothing occurred to God. Family, I began to reflect on the current atmosphere of civil protest around police brutality, the continued life-altering Coronavirus global pandemic, the everyday struggles of everyday people, and it once again occurred to me that nothing occurs to God. Think on that for a minute…. Nothing occurs to God.  So, trees reproduce their fruit every year at the same time without prompting.  Birds of the air never go to work but always have food and shelter.  The ocean never crosses the bounds of the sand, and stars never fall from the sky.  Am I to believe God put all these things in perpetual motion and yet left out provisions for the one made in His image and likeness?  Am I to believe my salvation is at the mercy of a virus or social challenges?  I think not! After some years now I’ve come to understand a few things: God will never leave me nor forsake me.   I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. God never made a mistake and therefore nothing occurs to Him.  Everything is for a divine purpose and His good pleasure. Whosoever will God bless you Pastor Don

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.       Genesis 2:1-2 Greetings Family: I pray this writing finds you well!  As this offering is later than usual my first inclination is to put forth an apology.  However, I am not going to apologize because it was prudent that I take a couple days this week for self-care, and no one should ever apologize for that.  As a minister of the gospel I am still occasionally amazed that God chose me and deposited spiritual gifts to equip me through this walk.  I will also admit to you that one of the greatest gifts I have is knowing when to pull back for some “me” time.  Say it with me…. I love me! With the constant need to care for those around us, the 24-hour news cycle, the continuing pandemic, social uprising, and for some simply trying to make ends meet; it is easy to feel overwhelmed at times.   The good news is….  even God rested. So just for a moment lets engage in an exercise of love.  Find a good hard chair and sit down.  If you can, turn off all electronics (including your phone).  Now, feel your feet on the floor and let the pressure of your body flow through your butt and onto the chair.  If your chair has arms allow your arms to line up with them. Close your eyes (not at work) and experience yourself breathing.  Feel the breath pass in and out of your lungs and make each one as a praise to God.  Now breathe in peace and breathe out anxiety.  Breathe in the love of God and breathe out anger.  Breathe in the joy of the lord and breathe out the spirit that keeps you from forgiving others, as well as yourself.  Family, it is okay to catch your breath.  It is okay to not be okay.  It is okay to rest. I pray that you feel love for yourself.  I pray that you find yourself resting in the secret place promised by God where you can abide under his shadow.  I pray that you know your worth and realize that you are worthy of rest.  I pray your peace. God bless you Pastor Don

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.       Genesis 2:1-2 Greetings Family: I pray this writing finds you well!  As this offering is later than usual my first inclination is to put forth an apology.  However, I am not going to apologize because it was prudent that I take a couple days this week for self-care, and no one should ever apologize for that.  As a minister of the gospel I am still occasionally amazed that God chose me and deposited spiritual gifts to equip me through this walk.  I will also admit to you that one of the greatest gifts I have is knowing when to pull back for some “me” time.  Say it with me…. I love me! With the constant need to care for those around us, the 24-hour news cycle, the continuing pandemic, social uprising, and for some simply trying to make ends meet; it is easy to feel overwhelmed at times.   The good news is….  even God rested. So just for a moment lets engage in an exercise of love.  Find a good hard chair and sit down.  If you can, turn off all electronics (including your phone).  Now, feel your feet on the floor and let the pressure of your body flow through your butt and onto the chair.  If your chair has arms allow your arms to line up with them. Close your eyes (not at work) and experience yourself breathing.  Feel the breath pass in and out of your lungs and make each one as a praise to God.  Now breathe in peace and breathe out anxiety.  Breathe in the love of God and breathe out anger.  Breathe in the joy of the lord and breathe out the spirit that keeps you from forgiving others, as well as yourself.  Family, it is okay to catch your breath.  It is okay to not be okay.  It is okay to rest. I pray that you feel love for yourself.  I pray that you find yourself resting in the secret place promised by God where you can abide under his shadow.  I pray that you know your worth and realize that you are worthy of rest.  I pray your peace. God bless you Pastor Don

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. John 15:18 Greetings Family: This last week has been a week!  I experienced a rush of emotions, remembrances, apprehensions, and reminders of a perpetual anger that lives within people who look like me.  It occurred to me this is all too familiar.  Like five years ago familiar, or ten years ago familiar, or twenty years ago familiar, or fifty years ago familiar, as it relates to brown people existing in this country. This week I heard the cries of an ugly racism operating in plain sight once again, and I heard people eloquently dissecting white privilege, and I heard attempts at justifications like; “if you guys regularly kill one-another, then what’s the problem”?   Family, it occurred to me once again that absolute power corrupts absolutely, and even with cameras in clear view (like in the nation’s capital, and Minnesota, and Atlanta), team blue will perform because the show must go on?    So, I needed a word.  I found no million preacher marches, or denominational outrage, or clergy taking to the streets in mass to lead the congregation of a generation who dared to say enough.  I looked up to the skies and not one private jet.   Not one Rev Dr Martin Luther King, Jr to lead the way with a concise plan that will survive past the news cycles.  Like David, in this moment I am left to encourage myself and so I prayed. I pray like maybe my grandmother prayed, or her grandmother prayed.  I pray like maybe someone in a cotton field prayed, or someone in the bowels of a ship prayed.  I pray like maybe someone in the Jim Crow south prayed, or someone in a prison prayed.  I pray like I need Jesus right now. I am reminded through the accounts of John that there is a loving God who made it so that if I abide in Him, He would also in me.  I am reminded that even now, in this moment, my responsibility is to bear fruit.  I am reminded that I am made clean through the word that was spoken unto me.  I am reminded that standing for righteousness requires that, like Jesus, I too will be hated.  I am reminded that I can ask what I will, and it shall be done.  I am reminded that my Christianity requires faith and work. Family, supposed God sent a coronavirus to sit us down for a few months?  Now supposed in that time the church prepared for a revival.  Now supposed God’s time is not like our time and the revival is in the streets and on your TV screen.  Now supposed every branch that does not bear fruit God takes away. Stay tuned! God bless you Pastor Don

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ Philippians 1:3-6 (NKJV) Greetings Family: I pray all is well with you and yours.  I pray God’s peace is saturating your spirit and providing a place of rest.  I pray that in what can be difficult times your faith will not fail.  I pray love is at the forefront of all that motivates you. Family, as the Governor begins to allow for the re-opening of businesses, churches, and life as this new reality; we are about to get a front row seat to witness all our “what ifs”.  For several months we have been engaging in conversations around what things would look like post-shelter in place.  What would our response be as believers in the gospel of Jesus Christ?  What our responsibility is in this unprecedented moment in time? As a minister of the Gospel I try to remain conscious of being grounded in my faith. The most important thing for me is to remember the beginning.  I reflect on the moment when a loving God allowed enough room for a wretch like me to be saved.  I then become thankful as to how a forgiving God accepted me as I was.  I then ponder how God looked pass other people who I thought were smarter, who I thought were more church savvy, who I thought were better orators; and yet He chose me.  I am reminded of the scripture which assures His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts not our thoughts. Family, I pause to remind you as I myself am reminded, our God is faithful to complete the work which was started in us.  We are a chosen generation, we are a sanctified people, we are examples of the love God has for his people.  Return to your place of beginning and remember the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit showing up in the right place, at the right time.  Remember that time when you were good enough because God said so.  Know that what was started in you God intends to complete.  Desire to be all that God needs you to be …. Right now. Punch in church! It’s time for the work. God bless you Pastor Don

And she said, the Philistines are upon you, Samson!  So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!”  But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him. Judges 16:20 (NKJV) Greetings Family: I pray all is well with you.  I pray that on this day you be filled with the light of love through Jesus Christ.  I pray God hears your heart and answers your innermost desires to His glory.  I pray you are at peace. So family, about a week ago I had a conversation with a good friend which ultimately turned out to be a full-fledged bible study.  As we discussed the ongoing pandemic and shelter-in-place throughout the country, a question arose as to what would be next.  I found this interesting as our own pastor have been teaching around “next steps” and therefore my interest in the topic was peaked.  We pondered the relaxing of restrictions and discussed how, if at all, this experience would change us individually, as a nation, and as a church.  And so, the Holy Spirit directed our conversation to the book of Judges and the plight of Samson. In my opinion this is one of the more tragic stories in the bible.  The scripture lays out an occurrence in chapter sixteen of this book where this man (Samson) comes in contact with a female (Delilah) who is more than willing to accept payment in exchange for determining the secret to his powers that he might be overtaken by the Philistines.  Now, what stands out to me most in this text was the fact Samson had full knowledge of his powers as well as his weaknesses.  Understanding the fullness of his calling, his strengths, his assignment, and his weakness; Samson in a moment, still gave in to the human condition. Samson fell short on the part where; what is of the flesh is flesh, and what is of the spirit is spirit. Ultimately, the questions on the table for us was: What is God requiring right now?  Have we become arrogant in our calling/gifting?  Have we moved so far in the wrong direction that God have departed from us?  Family, suppose without realizing it, we have given in to our weaknesses and been operating on the glory of how things used to be.  Suppose God is requiring a return to what makes us stronger together.  Suppose God is requiring an intentional and devoted turn towards a renewed relationship in Christ.  Suppose we humble ourselves and pray. Next steps…. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. God bless you Pastor Don

If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well                                                                                                                                 James 2:8 Greetings Family: Praying all is well with you and yours.  Praying for the spirit of God to rest upon you, and guide you to the place that has already been prepared. Family…. As we came together via of our weekly conference call on last Saturday (4/18), I reflect on the vibrant conversation centered around the second chapter in the book of James.  As we entered in agreement with the dangers of being judgmental in the church setting, in that we would set our focus on people who may (or may not) be of a certain stature; it became clear this is of utmost importance at all times in our lives.  The bible points to the “royal Law” and the need for us to reach a place where we love our neighbor as ourselves. All of our questions came back to a central theme… Love wins! When we think of the royal law, in that we should love our neighbor as ourselves, it’s easy to dwell on what it means to truly love oneself.  Its easy to go down the rabbit hole of a standard that searches for perfection in oneself before being available to my neighbor.  But I say to you this is not so.   The bible promises that in times like these there abides three things: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love. Many of our friends and family members have already lost income and applied for unemployment benefits.  Many have anxiety about the immediate future.  Many have already experienced food shortages and are relying on the kindness of strangers. Whether two weeks or two months, this phase of our lives will come to an end.  Some of us will have suffered emotionally, some of us will have lost loved ones, and God forbid some will have lost confidence in what it means to be a Christian.  Here’s what I know: this royal law requires us to see with a different set of eyes.  The royal law requires us to choose love at the supermarket, or in the neighborhood, or on the job, or at church.  Several years ago there was a popular Christian marketing plan which asked the question; what would Jesus do?  I believe in this season a different question is directed to people of faith and it begs; what are “we” going to do?   Will we make excuses?  Will we choose to not show up?  Will we choose Love? My hand is raised first and I choose Love! God bless you Pastor Don

Fear ye not me? Saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?                                                                                                                               Jeremiah 5:22 Family: I pray blessings over you.  I lift your families before the Lord.  I pray peace for your spirit and joy for your soul.  I pray that in your quiet place the noise which interrupts your hearing shall dissipate.  I pray a move of the Holy Spirit on your life which brings you to a place of understanding.  I pray the love of God becomes your current revelation. So… while meditating on what the Lord would have me share, the Holy Spirit reminded me of an assurance built into Gods plan.  God already thought about it, knows the beginning and the ending, and put a plan in place for it.  As we live through this pandemic (and we will get through it) I began to think of people who suffer with mental health problems.  I began to think of the “regular” daily stresses life must present to this population, and now how much more challenging things must be.  I began to think of the heightened level of worry that in times like these become a reality.  I began to pray. My heart was turned to the realization that there are times when people are so burdened by their own thoughts and fears, they may not have the strength to pray.  Family, this is the time when we are needed to step in the most.  This is the time when we become our brother’s keeper. I considered how God set the sand for a bound of the sea and no matter how much the waves toss themselves or roar, they are not allowed to overtake what God has determined to be a stop-gap.  I considered that maybe in this time the take-away is that we become a stop-gap for someone else.  Maybe we who are more grounded in our Christianity, or our faith, or our understanding, or our mental health, could come to realize that our walk is solely for the person next to us.  Kinda like Jesus! And now I close with a request?  Make a call to someone in your circle and don’t hang up so quickly.  Don’t hang up until you know how they are “really” doing in a time like this.  Don’t hang up until the person on the other end of the line knows you care about them…. simply because. Lets do some Kingdom work! God Bless you Pastor Don

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong.                                                                                                                                      2 Corinthians 12:9-10 Greetings Family: As we approach this coming Sunday Christians around the world will have at the forefront of our attention the inability to traditionally acknowledge Easter.  Many of us are stressed and or distressed by the thought of not being in a church congregation on “Easter Sunday”.  While we are still sheltering-in-place due to a pandemic, for what is now at least another month, I believe someone needs to know that God is still God. Perspective…. Jesus said: as often as you do this, do it in remembrance of me.  As often as we acknowledge our faith, as often as we acknowledge the suffering of Christ, as often as we acknowledge the resurrection of Jesus, as often as we acknowledge the sin cleansing power of his blood; we do it in remembrance of Him.   If I can be bold enough to assume as Christians we acknowledge Jesus in every aspect of our lives, then I submit to you the foundation of our belief is not in a gathering or a building.  I would be the first to affirm we need community as the bible directs us to forsake not the assembly of the saints.  However, what Jesus went through on Calvary in becoming a full and perfect sacrifice for the sins of the world, that we may have direct access to an almighty and sovereign God, can’t be defined by rituals and traditions. The resurrection of Christ means we who believe are saved, and it means we can be in communion and fellowship with God through the Holy Spirit right where we are, and it means we can take pleasure in these situations and circumstances of our time for Christ’s sake because in our weakness, then we are strong. Family: I like to count my blessings because in doing so I realize His grace is sufficient for me.  I realize when I stop and look around that God is not in the noise encompassing my life.  I realize that even without “normal routines” life is moving on and I am still blessed.  I realize in times when I am weak, I can lean on him and He is my resting place.  I mostly realize that acknowledging what God has already done through Christ Jesus, is doing this in remembrance of Him.  I realize this in absence of the things that are representations of what it means to be a Christian, because through Christ I am. God bless you Pastor Don

Greetings Family: As we are in the third week of our State/County mandated shelter-in-place, I pray you’ve found a point of focus in Christ which will light your path moving forward.  I pray you and yours are well spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally.  I pray that on the other end of this experience you come to know the beauty of fellowship with a sovereign God, through the Holy Spirit.  I pray you come to know the one, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is able to keep you, and more than able to save a sin-sick soul. In reflecting on our conference call of 3/21 and the 1st chapter in the book of James, I again became mindful of how God does math.   Verses 9-11 point out the importance of those with “much” to become humble before God, as well as, those persons who are of a “lesser societal importance” to be exalted.  In other words, God does addition by subtraction.  Considering the station of our lives are set by the will of God, in these verses we come to understand that God in turn is not impressed by our wealth, or lack thereof, as the goal is to be in relationship with Him.  In order to move to a deeper place of relationship in Christ we must be willing to step away from who we think we are, to who we ought to be.  The bible says God is a spirit and we must worship Him in spirit and in truth.  Addition by subtraction…. In this forced quiet time if you will, I had a thought to call on God through prayer.  I began to get my mind right and started to focus on what my topic of prayer would be.  Of course, it required the TV be turned off and any other distractions be shut down, as in my understanding, God couldn’t hear me through all that stuff.  I set my physical atmosphere for a showing up of the Holy Spirit in my very house, and when I was just religious enough to get started something happened.  I realized the only thing missing in this equation was my willingness to humble myself.  What was missing was my willingness to take my mind off circumstances, and situations out of my control, and right there in my “current state” be willing to meet up with a God who was waiting all the time.  That’s right, what became apparent in that space was that God is always right there waiting for me to engage in my half of the relationship.  Only when I stepped away from myself was I able to sit at God’s table. Who knows when all of this will be settled, and life can take on a since of normalcy again?  Family, here’s what I do know:  I was once young, and now I am a little older, and I have never seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. (Psalm 37:25) Keep the faith till patience has her perfect work.   I respect you! Pastor Don