Priorities

We are about to launch into a New Year. 2020 has been a year of change, tumult, tragedy, division, uncertainty and a lot of other words that describe a dark period.  On the flip side, for me, it's also been a year of clarity. 

In the remaining hours of 2020, please take time to review the year and find the lessons learned. You will need those nuggets as you continue into the future. 

In 2020, folk reached out to others and embraced empty air during their time of need. Need is not always dollars. Sometimes, all they needed was a kind word, an "I love you", a feeling of acceptance, etc. We get so busy doing "us" that we are blind to the hurt we're leaving in our wake.  

Here's something to ponder. Our stuff matters, but people also matter.

Shut it Down!

Get the folk out your ear who agree with you when your actions are dead wrong.

Most of the turmoil, delusion, cultism, and idolatry prevalent right now started from the pulpit and should’ve been shut down a long time ago when it first manifested. There WILL come a time of accountability for God does NOT like His people being messed with/deceived.

If someone around you is encouraging you to believe and support lies for the greater good, shut it down.

If someone is saying sin is okay if it’s done for a good cause, shut it down.

If someone in your circle is praising, overlooking and/or supporting unscriptural and unscrupulous behavior, shut…it…down.

If they’re enabling or winking at hate and wrongdoing, shut it down!

If you’re asked to pray that deceit and unrighteousness are victorious, that’s NOT biblical. Period. Shut it down!

Frankly, I don’t care what title or position that person is wearing, the size of their religious organization, how deep they claim to be, or how rich you’ve made them. Shut…it…down.

Why do we need to shut it down? What we hear and see, impacts our soul. The more we feed off that stuff—allow them access to our ear and eye gates, the more it saturates our soul and we soon become a mini-me and parrot of the person feeding us.

Think about it. Here’s an example: Preachers have been seen in the media spouting obvious lies and hate, then the congregation responds with enthusiastic praise. What…are…they…doing?! Oh, but the day of accountability is coming.

The sad thing is once you’ve reached that state, it’s hard to recognize who you’ve become...

Shut that stuff down!

Heart Condition Matters

Our heart (mind, emotions, will and conscience) condition matters to God.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 NIV

9 The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

10 “I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.”

Psalm 19:14 KJV

14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Psalm 51:10 KJV

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Oh, God help us and revive us again!

 

     

    

The Man in the Mirror

People are fickle.  The emotions and the desires of their hearts govern their relationships and motivations.

They love today and hate tomorrow.

They appreciate and support today and dis and discount the next day.

They exclude people today they included yesterday.

They promise and don’t deliver.

They set loose returning boomerangs, but when they come back, their feelings get hurt because they can’t take what they’ve dished out.

This really makes me indignant: They use the Word to justify their bad attitudes and choices to dis others. They spew hate and talk of the love of God all in the same breath.

Yes, I’m talking about church folk.  Folk who by their changed nature should be in a different place.

If you want to have a bad attitude, have it. If you want to separate yourself from people who have never done anything to you that justifies it, do it.  If you want to hold others in low esteem, thinking you are all that and some, go for it. It’s your choice, but please do me a favor:  Leave God out of your mess. You and your emotions made those choices.

I may seem blunt but love for God’s people flows through what I’m saying. We each have gifts and callings. As much as we would like to be, all of us are not cheerleaders. Some of us have to cry loud and spare not. The gifts and callings may differ, but they all work together for the edification of the church.

Christians should not be ruled by their flesh. The Word tells us no good thing dwelleth in our flesh (Romans 7:18).  Our moral compass must be calibrated by the Word if it is to keep us pointed in the right direction.

Keep it real. You might as well because you are not fooling anyone. Let me qualify that: You are not fooling anyone who has discernment.  And the One who really matters, the Lord, knows and sees all.

Well, this is not where I wanted to go today, but here we are…

If this is not you, say Amen and keep it moving. If it is, repent and stop.

I challenge everyone to take an honest look in the mirror. What does the man/woman in the mirror say about you?

    

   

By any means necessary? Really?

 

Should Christians support and applaud deceit/fraud if they think it will end in a desired result?  Is it ok to pursue winning by ANY means necessary?  

Well, Toni, you may ask, how do you know when deceit/fraud is afoot?  When assertions have been repeatedly proven to be lies, in the words of comedian Bill Engvall, here's your sign.  How many times do folk have to be shown something is not true before they start to believe it?  I guess it’s easier to believe a lie rather than the truth when the lie supports personal desires and agendas.  

Folk wearing the Christian label may not have meant to send the message that winning by any means necessary is ok, but that’s the message ringing loud and clear from their actions--spoken and posted.   

I don’t care who it is.  I don’t care how it’s justified or spiritualized, deceit/fraud is wrong.  Winning by any means necessary is wrong.

How am I so certain?  This…

Psalm 101:7 KJV 

7 He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight.   

Christians should not be joining in with anyone who’s praying that deceit/fraud prevail so that a desired result is achieved.  We should be standing in agreement with prayers inviting the Lord's will and asking Him to expose ALL deceit, cancel it and tie the hands of the enemy.  

Some seem to have lost sight of this so I want to be clear:  The enemy is NOT flesh and blood, but principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places.  (Ephesians 6:12)

The harvest is plentiful, and it is watching.

Come on church… 

Clothed and in my Right Mind

I grew up COGIC (Church of God in Christ). Many churches have moved away from the practice, but back then, worship service included giving testimonies. Almost all the testimonies included the words, “I thank God for being clothed and in my right mind.” I said it as well for we learned the “format” for giving public testimonies during the service from the older Christians.

This morning, the Holy Spirit brought that phrase back to my remembrance along with a revelation of the significance of what I grew up saying by memorization—what those old warriors were trying to teach us by example.

See, it went deeper than having clothes to wear and sanity. It spoke to walking in spiritual freedom from the possession, oppression, suppression and influence of Satan and his cohorts. (Mark 5:1-15).

In this moment of time and current spiritual atmosphere, I’m glad I can say with conviction and understanding, I thank God that I’m clothed and in my right mind!

I don’t understand, but I’ll stand

 

With everything going on in this moment, various emotions and internal conflicts have bubbled to the surface. Some will never voice it, but certainties and faith have been shaken.

I have heard several sermons this morning, but the one preached by Pastor Penny Francis (Ruach City Church, UK) resonated with me and here are my takeaways.

We may not understand everything, but on this we can stand with certainty:

• God’s thoughts (intentions, plans) and ways are higher than ours. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
• His plans for us are good. (Jeremiah 29:11)
• The good He has purposed, will come to pass. (Isaiah 14:27)

To help you resolve the conflict and crisis of faith you’re wrestling with, I encourage you to read I Corinthians 13. You will find that God has given us a very important and individual task that’s not always given the prominence it should have: charity (love). We can’t do this under our own steam. If we had the capability, we’d be hitting folk with lightning bolts and banishing them from the earth.

What we can do is allow Him to love through us for God is love (I John 4:16).

Turn the Page

 

For every post I read that called for prayer, taking authority, binding, and casting down any darkness that was maneuvering during the election result determination process, I agreed and said Amen.

There’s a difference: Most of those prayers were aimed at the results for a particular candidate. I (and MANY across this nation) switched those prayers up and applied them to the process. The candidate selected may or may not be the one for which we voted, but the result of the process we covered in prayer is Biden won.

Allegations of fraud were levied and shot down in courts. Courts adjusted monitoring distance specifications when objections arose. Specific cheating accusations were made, and the truth was readily revealed.

Folk don’t have to say how they prayed. Post-election determination reactions are a strong indication.

What now?

We do the SAME thing we did when the 2016 candidate we supported won/lost. We turn the page and hope for the best.  As they did with Trump, Christian timelines will be flooded with encouragements to pray for Biden for it’s the right thing to do. Right?

Many Christians take their cues on how they should think or feel about things from their pastors. Today, I hope pulpits are ringing with messages of unity, love, hope, healing, new beginnings, and God’s sovereignty.

The harvest is plentiful, and you know what? It’s also watching. 

A Prayer for the President

Regardless of the outcome of the election, I pray the next President…  

• Does not live in a place of lies, deception, and corruption.
• Does not have a heart of stone, but one of empathy for all humanity.
• Does not promote and instigate hate against any citizens.
• Does not praise and initiate violence against citizens who oppose him. 
• Remembers and appreciates that immigrants built this nation.
• Does not degrade and belittle any of the people he serves.
• Understands what Christianity is and doesn’t use it for personal gain while privately mocking it.
• Has a genuine relationship with Christ.
• Truly values and cares about all citizens--including people of color.
• Leads this nation with dignity, intelligence, and wisdom.
• Promotes justice and fairness for all.
• Works to restore the respect, tattered image, and status of this nation on the world stage. 
• Cultivates and strengthens beneficial alliances, not destroy them.
• Respects the constitution and laws of this nation.
• Serves with the honor, dignity, and integrity the office deserves.   
• Isn’t just pro-birth but is pro-life for all…life doesn’t end at birth.
• Isn’t petty and vindictive.
• Will not treat the office of the Presidency like it’s a dictatorship.
• Understands the crucial role of science, technology, and medicine in sustaining and improving the health and prosperity of our planet and population.
• Promotes unity, not division.

     

Ditched Love

After the election is decided, I hope Christians (some--not all) remember where they ditched their love so they can go back and pick it up again.

Simple, Difficult and Powerful

 

I’m sorry.

I was wrong.

Forgive me.

Simple statements that are powerful initiators of change, reconciliation, and new beginnings.

Watch What You Eat

I don’t eat food prepared by any and everybody.  

I don’t care how appetizing it looks or smells, if I know the person who prepared it is dirty, it’s thanks but no thanks. Why? Because if the preparer is dirty, the food could very well be contaminated and will harm me.

I also don’t eat spiritually from any and everybody.  

If I know the message is coming from someone who’s spiritually dirty, I put the brakes on it.  Why? The message coming from them is contaminated and I know it will be spiritually harmful for me.   

Folk who deal in deception, use something you believe to make something you would normally reject acceptable. Once you bite, it becomes very easy to get you to buy into their other nons…beliefs. What am I saying?  People are wrapping conspiracy theories in scripture and prophecy to deceive the church.  Some have bitten because all they heard was the scripture and prophecy, but couldn’t discern what they were really being fed.  It’s necessary for the enemy to deceive and neutralize the church, because then the church won’t armor up and engage in spiritual warfare.  Or they instigate so much division and confusion in the camp that the church will engage in warfare against friend instead of foe. 

People have always been fascinated by prophecy.  I cut my spiritual teeth in a ministry where the gift of prophecy was prevalent.  Its manifestation was a normal part of the services.  When the pastor prophesied something, you could take it to the bank.  It happened.  It wasn’t hit or miss, and it lined up with scripture.  If he said it, it was Amen.  This is why what I’m witnessing now regarding prophecy doesn’t excite me.  Instead, I weigh and sift as we all should.   

Listen, we shouldn’t eat spiritually from any and everybody.  There are consequences to doing so.  You may say, but Toni, they have scripture to back what they’re saying.  They probably do, but I’ll also remind you that the devil knows scripture (Luke 4:9-11) and believes in God (James 2:19).     

Weigh what you hear and don’t eat everything that’s offered to you.  It’s perfectly acceptable to walk away from the table.

In other words, watch what you eat! 

RAGE – Life Doesn’t End at Birth

Listen, would you give a homeless person a string bikini in the dead of winter and expect them to be grateful to you for what you’ve done for them?

Yesterday, while pressure washing my driveway, I finished listening to RAGE.

The book wraps up with a more in-depth look at the coronavirus response. I haven’t focused on that, but it’s very concerning. 

Individuals are finding the courage to corroborate reports about the mishandling of one of the most devastating events that may occur during our lifetime. Trump has presented an alternate reality to the American people and it’s up to them to believe it or seek the truth.

Donald Trump presents a different truth to his base, but he admitted to Bob Woodward in an interview that he knows there is systemic racism in America. He also admitted he doesn’t feel a responsibility AT ALL to have a better understanding of the pain of Black America.

Here’s my personal translation of these statements: Trump really does NOT care about people of color for we do not matter to him.

Trump went on to say he’s done more for Black America than any President in history. No…he hasn’t.

Yes, before COVID-19, employment was high for people of color. What he doesn’t grasp is we are intelligent enough to realize that upward trajectory started with Obama’s Administration.

Yes, Trump has funded historical black colleges. And? He should. So did Obama’s Administration.

We are smart people. We know Trump didn’t turn the economy around when he took office, it was already improving, and Obama’s Administration left him a stable upward escalator ride.

Do I even need to mention his assault on health insurance, or Obama’s initiatives he expanded and called his own?

Trump seems to be genuinely baffled that he doesn’t have the support of most people of color. That bafflement itself shows there’s a very fundamental disconnect.

He admitted there’s systemic racism, yet he takes actions that lead to intensification rather than de-escalation.

Instead of empathizing and listening, he dismisses, disparages, and dehumanizes.

The police reforms he offered are not focused on the concerns of people of color, they are proposals that will cause police the least amount of discomfort. Unless he genuinely acknowledges the issues and engages in sincere dialog with the affected people, it’s impossible for him to create effective and meaningful reforms.      

Trump has had many opportunities to give people of color what they really need. He’s had the power and authority to remove the knee from our necks, but he’s chosen not to do so.

He says he’s pro-life, then he should BE pro-life for EVERY American for life doesn’t end at birth.

      

RAGE – Something Has Changed

 

The hate and anger enveloping this nation is great and deep.

I read a FB post where the person was so angry at Democrats, they wished they could be God long enough to send them all to Hell. Another referred to Democrats scathingly as Demoncrats.

I wonder if they realize Democrats worshipped and worship beside them. When they faced hardships, Democrats were right there laboring in prayer on their behalf. It didn’t used to matter that their family member, friend, acquaintance or church member was a Democrat, but something has changed.

The internet is flooded with videos showing racist confrontations. In the past, a person may have been a racist, but they tried to keep it well hidden. Now, it’s been given a turbo boost and it’s proudly demonstrated and worn as a badge. Something changed.

Trump defined that change in one of his interviews with Bob Woodward for his book RAGE. “I bring rage out,” he said. “I always have.”

Spiritual transference. I won’t expand on that here, but that’s what came to mind when I heard Trump’s statement.

I also learned that some are in awe of Trump’s ability to persuade people. When reality is not acceptable, he creates an alternate reality and persuades others that it is true, and reality is a lie. Anyone who dares to contradict and point out the true reality is labeled “fake” or suppressed. The scary thing is people really believe his alternate realities. Think about how long it usually takes one of his pronouncements to circulate around the internet, proclaimed as truth when it’s obviously not.

The first word that came to mind when I listened to this segment of the book was cultism for cult leaders also share and excel in this ability.

Trump said during his interview the meaner and crueler a foreign leader is the better he gets along with them. Hmm, I wonder why? Kindred spirits?

In the past, rage and it’s demonstrations would have been called out and denounced. Now, it’s being rationalized, accepted and in some instances, encouraged.

Rage is the fruit of A spirit, but that spirit is NOT the Holy Spirit.

Something has changed.

I’m still listening…

RAGE – A Dangerous Mix

Here are my latest personal takeaways from RAGE.

Bob Woodward offered Trump the wisdom that an apology goes a long way toward calming controversy.  He asked Trump if he’d consider apologizing for the Ukraine incident which resulted in his impeachment. Trump said when he does something wrong, he apologizes, but he’d done nothing wrong and would not apologize.

The author asked Trump when was the last time he’d apologized for anything. Trump responded again that he apologizes when he’s done something wrong. The author pressed for an answer. Finally, Trump said when he’s wrong, he apologizes but he’s ALWAYS right.

Reminds me of when Trump said he never asks God for forgiveness; then later said why should he ask for forgiveness when he isn’t making any mistakes.

Picture this: Someone with a look of total disbelief, slowly shaking their head. That’s me.

I think the book is very well-written. One of the things I really applaud is the author instantly followed Trump’s statements with facts. Trump does his normal thing throughout his interviews with the author. I could say he made exaggerated misstatements, but I prefer to call it what it is: He lied…a lot. 

Trump asked Generals why are our troops in Japan, South Korea, etc.?  Simple answer: So we can fight the enemy over there and not here. Now, there are some basic things you expect the leader of your nation to know.

For what it’s worth, here’s a Toni advice moment: If you want to change a process or system, understand the existing one before you commence to changin’ because you just might create a disaster.

Ignorance, arrogance, no moral compass, and power are a very dangerous mix.

 

 

RAGE – Player or Played?

 “What the heck is this?”  While listening to RAGE, I came to a complete standstill in my debris littered backyard, perspiring heavily from my pruning frenzy in Florida’s heat and humidity.

What had prompted that reaction? The letters between Trump and the North Korean leader after they became…friends.

As I listened, I wondered if Trump had been played. The North Korean leader’s letters were filled with effusive flattery, but they also sounded odd.  They sounded like the leader had assigned a fan of old romance novels or movies the task of writing the letters to Trump.  The phrasing is similar.  Trump’s weren’t quite as bad, but still…strange.  Now, I understand why the news media commented that the letters reminded you of a courtship. 

I learned that Trump has had good men around him whose priority was America.  When they became aware of what they were dealing with, they worked hard to try to advise and steer Trump in ways that would safeguard America and our interests. One by one, those men left his administration, leaving a vacuum for enablers.

After one of these good men left, Bob Woodward wrote that one of Trump’s advisors—who is also a relative—was glad because a block to Trump and what he wanted to accomplish was gone.  This same family member supposedly taught others how to get the decisions they wanted out of Trump. Oily…and insulting.

I’m still listening…

RAGE: It was a Near Thing

RAGE hit my audio book library today. So far, it's very interesting and educational.

Bob Woodward opens with the information already reported in the news media regarding COVID-19: What Trump knew, when he knew it and what he did...or didn't do. He moves on to Trump building his cabinet and then the conflict with North Korea. This is where I've placed my digital bookmark. I was wowed. I had absolutely no idea how close we had come to war with North Korea. Yeah, I saw the news reports about the insults Trump hurled at the North Korean leader and the threats. I didn't think it was wise, but it was "normal" behavior for our current leader. Behind the scenes, things were TENSE. The official given the responsibility of making the call to engage was a Christian and struggled with the weight of the very real possibility of being responsible for initiating the move that would result in millions of deaths. North Korea wasn't bluffing. They were ready to engage. We were positioned to respond. Every test missile North Korea launched was watched with readiness. We even performed some "warning" military maneuvers. Thinking back to when all of this was playing out, I'd just thought it was a lot of muscle flexing. It was so much more serious than that. Thank God for intervening in spite of...

Let justice run down like water...

 

Our Heavenly Father is a God of justice and righteousness.

“…outward demonstrations of faith are useless unless they are centered in

justice and righteousness.”

- Rev. Ed (unity.org)

Amos 5:21-24 New King James Version (NKJV)

21 “I hate, I despise your feast days,

And I do not savor your sacred assemblies.

22 Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,

I will not accept them, Nor will I regard your fattened peace

offerings.

23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs,

For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.

24 But let justice run down like water,

And righteousness like a mighty stream.

Relationship Casualties

Has your relationship circle (marriages, friendships, acquaintances, etc.) been torn apart because of politics and you don’t understand why? Let’s talk about it.

For many—hereafter just referred to as friends, politics isn’t about one or two policies a candidate may promote. It’s not about the ethnicity of the candidate. It’s not even about the political party they represent.

Politics is perceived as a statement of how the candidate feels people should be treated. When you embrace a candidate, it’s seen as your personal statement of how you think people—your friends—should be treated. Your statement of the value you have placed on them as a human being.

It’s heavy. It’s serious. It’s personal. It far exceeds the November election.

Think about everything that has been attached to the political candidate you have embraced: reports, reveals, raw video, recordings, speeches, etc. Think about everything they represent: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Now, think about your friends and their varied, devastating, and life altering experiences: sexual assault, discrimination, cheating spouses, degradation, racism, bigotry, etc. How do you think they feel when they’re on the receiving end of the fall out of the politics you support?

You may discount it as being inconsequential or even false, but for them, it’s very real and could possibly mean life or death because the fall out may be resulting in a bullseye being placed on their backs.

You join with others who agree with your politics and add your jeers and taunts. Each one is a knife to your friend’s gut.

Even if unvoiced, for your friend, it may have boiled down to one question: How can you really love them and embrace the politics that say they and people like them really don’t matter?

!!! Murder !!!

I’m a murder witness. I’ve witnessed multiple murders. Here’s what I saw.

Crime: Murder by inflicting grave damage to the soul. Killer: Folk wearing the Christian label. Weapon: The tongue. Evidence: Proverbs 18:21 King James Version - Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Message Version - Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose. Don’t throw returning boomerangs you don’t want to come back. They WILL return, and when they do, it will be in a manner that will leave you in no doubt that you set them loose. Galatians 6:7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. Stop wounding and killing people with your tongue. THAT sin is just as important to God as murder by any other method.

The Return

Lately, I feel like I’m always a step behind.  I kept seeing posts for The Return event.  It’s advertised as a movement calling for the return to God by coming before His presence in humility, sincere prayer and repentance.  It sounded great and in-step with my heart.  I take NOTHING at face value, so I started to research it to find out who was leading it and participating.  I found a YouTube video where a list of participants was rattled off.  I’d never heard of some of the folk, so I started to research each one of the names.

As I progressed down the list, my enthusiasm sank.  I looked up a few names and found they were a part of Trump’s evangelical advisory board.  Several.  I plowed on thinking this can’t be what I think it is.  Well…I’m SO disappointed for my heart is yearning for revival to ignite in this nation.   

I didn’t see one non-Trump supporter on the list I ran across. Have they been excluded, or did I miss the names?  Please tell me this event is apolitical and truly about God.  Please tell me this isn’t what it “smells” like:  A pro-Trump prayer rally to corral in the evangelicals who have slipped the leash crying, “ENOUGH!” Please tell me this is a REAL call for return back to God.

We all have pet peeves—those things that annoy the heck out of us.  One of mine is folk using the Word and God as a cover for pushing personal agendas and to justify their dirt.   That’s just wrong on so many levels and has led to cultism and the dark mess our nation is in today.

Oh God help us and send revival!

Uzziah Must Die!

Isaiah 6:1 

In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

Uzziah’s successes and power made him prideful and he forgot the source of his help.  He became full of himself.  He felt he could do anything he wanted to, including the things God’s law specifically said he shouldn’t. When he was reprimanded for doing wrong, he got angry instead repenting. 

Eventually, Uzziah lost the position and authority he reveled in as king.

No matter how good it looks or sounds, if the Lord isn’t at the foundation, it will fail.

Uzziah is anything/person influencing our lives more than God.  This results in our eyes not being focused on God (the source of help and success) but on the thing/person.  When this happens, the thing/person becomes our priority and the controller of our heart.

A living and thriving Uzziah results in obstructed vision that has us seeing good as evil and evil as good.  Right as wrong and wrong as right.  Hate as love and love as unimportant.  We think our vision is clear, but we can’t see truth and what’s important.

When Uzziah dies, our vision becomes clear and we refocus on and seek the source: God and everything He is.

Uzziah must die!

 

Shake Us!

 

If you’re sensitive to what’s happening in the atmosphere, you are probably feeling an urgency right now. The prayer, “Oh, God help us!” has been ringing and rising from deep within.

This morning when my feet hit the floor, I heard the cry, “Lord, send revival!”

Lord, shake us with a revival on the level of the one that flamed on Azusa Street.

Shake us until everything that has been exalted above You is cast down.

Shake us until our thoughts become captive and washed by Your Word.

Lord, send revival!

Shake us until crooked thoughts become straight.

Shake us until we hunger and thirst for our first love for You.

Shake us until scales fall from eyes and right sight is restored.

Lord, send revival!

Shake us until cracks of division become unity.

Shake us until hate is consumed by fire.

Shake us until Your love reignites in us.

Lord, send revival!

Shake us until we see through the camouflage of the enemy.

Shake us until the sentinels retake their posts.

Shake us until the frontline warriors re-form with impenetrable strength.

Lord, send revival!

Shake us until Your standard waves high.

Shake us until spiritual barricades are re-erected.

Shake us until isms and schisms are abandoned for Your way.

Lord, send revival!

Shake us until Your desires become ours.

Shake us until gifts are stirred up, sharpened, and used as intended.

Shake us…

Oh, God help us and send revival!

The Swap

“How can a black person be a Democrat when the Democratic party wanted to keep them in slavery?”

Sounds like a profound question, right?  It’s not.  The answer is simple when you look at the evolution of the Democratic and Republican parties.

The Republican party was founded to fight white supremacy. The party stood for virtue and independent liberty.  It crusaded to abolish corruption.  Sounds good, right?  I can get with that—Abraham Lincoln’s party.  Black America identified with that party.

But then. Over time, the party began to morph into today’s Republican party.  In the late 1920s, Black America realized their political party no longer prioritized their interests and looked for an answer.  At the same time, the Democratic party started to slowly change and address the plight of Black America.  This initiated a party realignment.  From the perspective of most of Black America, the root cause of the exodus hasn’t changed since the shift began.

Today’s Republican party is NOT President Lincoln’s party.  Not by a long shot. 

The party founded to fight white supremacy is now the identifying party of white supremacists.  Self-proclaimed neo-Nazis and white nationalists have run for public office on the Republican ticket.  Don’t take my word for it.  Research it.  Sorry, but that’s not something Black America takes lightly…at all.  I am aware that some Republicans also find the swap in ideologies troubling.   

To be honest, I don’t care about your party affiliation.  Vote for and align yourself with whomever you want to, but don’t judge my relationship with Christ by YOUR religion—system of beliefs—for there is a difference between having a religion and having a relationship with Christ.  That's a juicy subject all by itself.  Now, if you want to talk Word…

This is not an accusation or persuasion, but an attempted explanation.  In the words of the current President, “It is, what it is...”

       

Make America Great

Since, I’ve been asked, I’ll make my political stance clear. Then, I’ll wrap up my personal takeaways from Mary L. Trump’s book.

My political stance

I want to see America become great, but that requires a different kind of leader.

• A leader who’s an adult who thinks and behaves like an adult.
• A leader who will address the civil unrest in this country with intelligence and empathy, and the goal of fixing the root cause. Feeding bigotry and using federal force against citizens only fuel the unrest. It’s beyond crazy when folk feel comfortable enough to attempt a lynching in broad daylight, but that’s what follows when a leader calls white supremacist “good people”.
• A leader who will bring this nation together instead of sowing discord and using divisiveness as a political weapon and winning strategy.
• A leader who will work toward restoring the US back to a place of strength and power at the negotiating table with foreign nations, instead of rendering us weak and impotent.
• A leader who can bring the US back to a place of respect and influence from one of ridicule and comical jeering on the world stage.
• A leader who will not minimize and politicize the rising death toll in this nation but will seek to pull us together as one united force to halt the pandemic that’s ravaging our families and economy.
• A leader who values truth instead of “living” in a place of corruption, lies and half-baked conspiracy theories.

Republican, democrat or independent—I really don’t care about party affiliation. I vote according to my principles, not a party line. The bottom line is we need a different kind of leader to pull the US out of the cesspit into which we’ve been led and make America great domestically and globally.

Final words on the book

An adult with the mental capacity of a child can’t handle grown folk business. Instead of dealing with hard issues that are beyond them, they’ll exhibit childish and destructive behavior that result in dire consequences for which they refuse to take responsibility.

When someone fights tooth and nail to keep something hidden, it’s obvious they’ve done something wrong and want to keep it from being revealed. Examples: withholding tax returns, stopping book publications, blocking subpoenaed documents and testimony, etc.

Flashing “shiny new objects” as a distraction doesn’t work on grown people. Committing a horrible act to distract attention away from a previous horrible act does not cause people to forget about the previous horrible acts. Instead, folk see it for what it is, and the result is a pile on. All the horrible acts are remembered, tallied, and considered to be one big mess of awfulness.

For me, the book was a very informative read that added definition to the darkness…

Go Back Where You Came From!

“If you don’t like what’s going on here, go back where you came from!” Many are saying it. Others are thinking it.

If a lot of the folk—actually, almost all—spouting that nonsense would give their family tree a shake and look at what falls out, they’ll find their ancestors were not indigenous (native) to this country. The United States of America is a huge melting pot of immigrants.

Here’s my question for the folk who want me to go back where I came from. Where? My ancestry is African, Native American, European, Middle Eastern, Spanish, and Jewish. Where exactly is it you’re telling me to go?

If everyone--including the US President who has a German ancestry--who descended from immigrants left this country, the population would DRASTICALLY decrease.

The retort, “If you don’t like what’s going on here, go back where you came from!” is just ig…um…uninformed.

This is my personal takeaway from Mary L. Trump’s book.

Where do I Begin?

I’ll just dive right in with my latest personal takeaways from Mary L. Trump’s book. Hmm, where do I even begin? Let’s see…

* Hypocrisy

Dr. Trump wrote about the time her uncle destroyed historical and priceless art deco to shave two weeks of construction time off Trump Tower. I guess preserving historical objects wasn’t that important to him back then. Indigenous cultural and sacred burial sites don’t seem to fall in the “important” category either. Sorry, that last bit was me, not the author. I'm just saying.

* Narcissism

When the author’s grandfather died, her Uncle Donald spoke at his funeral. She wrote that the eulogy was about the speaker and all the great things he’d supposedly accomplished and not about her grandfather. We witness this kind of behavior all the time. Remember those long coronavirus task force briefings?

* Business Acumen

The author talked about her uncle’s business acumen. I’ll admit that I used to think he was as brilliant as he says when it comes to business, but then I did research. Personally, I don’t equate the following to being a brilliant and shrewd businessman?

1. MANY bankruptcies
2. A financial track record so bad that banks won’t give you a bail out loan unless you agree to relinquish control of your businesses.
3. The banks set a loan condition that restricts your access to your businesses’ finances so you can’t do…stuff and instead, give you an allowance on which to live.

* Cheating

That cheating thing reared its head again. The author wrote about a scheme her Uncle Donald set in motion to steal his siblings’ inheritance. When her grandfather’s mental capacity diminished, a codicil to his will was secretly presented that would have given her uncle control of everything. Fortunately, her grandfather had a lucid moment and refused to sign. The siblings found out and took measures to ensure that never happened again.

* Vindictiveness

As we’ve seen repeatedly, the writer’s uncle exacts a very high penalty from those who refuse to toe the line. Dr. Trump wrote about the punishment she and other family members endured for doing just that. The scope of the punishment even included a sick and defenseless child…

I’m still listening…

A Taste of Honey

Do you remember when you’d play games with the neighborhood kids and there was that kid who’d get mad when things didn’t go his way, grab his ball, stalk off home, and end the game for everybody?

How about that kid who was always picking on somebody…a straight up bully…who just never let up with the attacks?  That kid who’d have a meltdown when the person he was picking on finally and deservedly gave him a taste of his own medicine?

Ever encountered that kid who is totally out of control and has no parental discipline?  The kid whose mom can’t do anything with him and his dad doesn’t care enough to even try?  Yeah, that kid.  The one who makes your fingers twitch to pinch.  That one. 

Here are my personal takeaways from my latest listening session of Mary L. Trump’s book:

• The TRUE heart of the author’s uncle for my people was revealed in 1973 when he was sued for racial discrimination in housing.  Before that lawsuit—which he fought for two years…two, no black people could rent homes in his developments.

• Cheating seems to be second nature.  Isn’t it illegal to pay someone to take the SAT for you? I always thought so.  The author left room for verification of the validity of this charge:  She named names.  Yes, she did.

• The following words cycled through my mind repeatedly:  cold, callous, unempathetic and amoral.

• It’s sad when the kid I talked about earlier becomes a man and still has the same horrible traits.  If that kid would’ve had just a taste of Honey (my mom’s nickname was Honey) and experienced one…just one…of her back hands, I believe he would’ve become a better person.  At the very least, he’d be very clear on the differences between right and wrong.

I’m still listening…

Girl, if you only knew...we need to talk!

Ever met someone who said all the things you'd been longing to hear and you felt they were "it"? You thought they were the genuine article and you could unquestioningly put your trust in them? Then, you met one of their family members who gave you eye-rolls that screamed, "Girl, if you only knew...we need to talk!"

I'm listening to an audio book that just hit my digital library. As I listened, the above scenario came to mind. Because of the lengths taken to suppress its release, I had to get a copy of this book written by Mary L. Trump.

I want to share a few of the phrases that have popped so far.

* He's a clown.

* Free publicity

* Blatant racism

* No principles...none.

* Casual dehumanization of people

- Women not found attractive: ugly, fat slobs

- Accomplished men: Losers

* Crass, irresponsible, despicable behavior

And that's just the prologue...

A Strict Diet

I’m on a very strict diet and I’m lovin’ it!

This diet clears your vision, sharpens your mind, and improves your heart function.

On this diet, you can engorge yourself on truth and snacking on it is encouraged.

However, there is one restriction:  You cannot drink from the cup of brainwash*.  I won’t use the succinct phrase that describes what I’m trying to say because of the tragic and dark event from which it was derived: The 1978 Jonestown Massacre.  I also prefer not to risk getting a cease and desist letter from that company that makes powdered drinks. 😉

If you drink from that cup, your vision will become distorted, your mind will become delusional, and your capacity to love and accept others will diminish.  If you’re not careful, you could become a spiritual zombie:  Spiritually dead, but giving the semblance of life.  

I love truth and because I know the Word of God, Christ and what He represents, I completely and unapologetically refuse to drink from the cup of blind, unquestioning loyalty to any human.

 

* Drink from the cup of brainwash:

•  Accepting blatant lies as truth.   
•  Accepting wrong actions and behaviors as being correct.
•  Accepting the twisted interpretation of cherry-picked scripture used to promote an agenda.
•  Giving blind obedience or loyalty to a cause, agenda, or human.

I Am Your Sister

If your birth sister or brother came to you and said, “I’m hurting.” Your concern and empathy would immediately engage, and you’d do whatever you could to stop their pain.  If they were in a vulnerable place, you’d try your best to protect them.  You’d sincerely and unceasingly pray about their plight so things would improve for them. 

We are grafted into the same family by Christ.  I am your sister.  Where is your Christian empathy for me and my pain? 

People of color are your brothers and sisters.  We’re sharing our pain with you and telling you that we have been hurting for a long time because of the way we’re treated and want things to change.  Instead of empathizing with us, you dismiss us and tell us to get over it.  Some have even said we shouldn’t think or feel the way we do and should be “like” a certain black young lady in the public eye who—for whatever reasons—has chosen not to say things to make them feel uncomfortable.  You vilify and spew hateful words at us for even daring to vocalize our pain.  In some cases, it’s spiritualized and wrapped up in visions and prophecies that have supposedly come from God.   

We are your brothers and sisters. Where is your Christian love and empathy for our pain?

My heart is heavy.  It’s not just because of the state of this nation and the plight of people of color.  The response of some Christians adds significant weight to that heaviness.  I’m overwhelmed by the level of callousness and hate some are demonstrating toward people of color.  I do mean some Christians for there are some who truly walk what they talk and have love big enough to cover all ethnicities.  

Your media posts are revealing.  I believe the Bible says it better than I can, so I’ll let it speak…

James 3:11 “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?”

Luke 6:45 “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.”

If nothing else, I thank you for revealing—and in some cases—confirming your true heart.  I’ll end there…